Retaliation - Pieces of the Heart #6
by GeekGirlz-R-Us
Summary: Angel, Spike, the Scoobies and all of Angel's crew along with Lindesy's help find books to rescue BUffy from Glory's realm only to have that chance taken from them by some old enemies
1. Default Chapter

RETALIATION Pieces of the Heart Series - Part Six By S. J. Smith & D. M. Evans Disclaimer - We don't own any of the characters. All characters belong to Joss Whedon and we're just happy for the chance to play with them. We also don't own "Ready To Take A Chance Again." Barry Manilow does, as of last recollection. A.N. - This is part six in a series. In order the other stories are: "Pieces on the Ground", "Blood Will Tell", "Picking up the Pieces", "Without Her" and "Roadhouse Blues" This story's name was originally Shadow of a Dream! Rating - PG-13 Summary - Angel and company along with Dawn Spike and a reluctant Lindsey head to L.A. to break into Wolfram and Hart to retrieve spell books capable of sending them into another dimension to rescue Buffy who might not be dead after all.  
  
  
  
CHAPTER ONE  
  
It was quiet inside the motorhome. Cordelia and Dawn bedded down in the back while Wesley crashed in the bench seat, his snores faint over the sounds of the passing semis. Lindsey sat on the other end of the bench, his head propped up on his arm. Spike stared out the passenger window at the countryside rolling by as Angel drove.  
  
Angel currently hated the ponderous vehicle. If he were in his own car, he could be roaring along the Interstate. Even though he pushed the Winnebago to a nice clip, it still couldn't reach the speeds his GTX did. Granted, he would've had to hole up somewhere during the day if he was in his car. That was the reason they'd rented the RV in the first place. But even the faint possibility of Buffy being alive urged him to floor the accelerator.  
  
"Where are we?"  
  
The voice broke both Angel and Spike from their reveries. "Still in the middle of B.F.E.," Spike said, twisting around to look at Lindsey.  
  
Lindsey leaned between the two chairs to peer through the windscreen at the distant brake lights of the last semi that had passed them. "God's country," he said.  
  
"God can keep it," Spike said. "Give me cities any night." He gestured. "Boring flat land. Bet you don't even get cable out here."  
  
Lindsey snorted. "That's what satellite dishes are for." He dropped into the seat behind Spike and cocked his legs up on the opposite chair. "I was meaning to ask you."  
  
"What?" Angel asked, over his shoulder.  
  
"You all seem totally gung-ho about this. I mean, Slayer, sure. But why this particular girl? I mean, two vampires are taking care of her sister." He waved a hand towards the back of the motorhome. "You chased me all the way to Oklahoma when you could've used any lawyer in L.A. I just don't get it. What's inspiring this loyalty?"  
  
"You've never met the Slayer," Spike said.  
  
"I met Faith," Lindsey pointed out.  
  
Spike shook his head. "Strictly second string." He swiveled his chair around to look at Lindsey. "I've come across two other Slayers before. Killed 'em for the sport of it. Not to say I didn't try to kill Buffy, I did." He gestured at Angel. "Hell, even Peaches here tried to kill her when he lost his soul." Spike's eyes narrowed. "If the Scourge of Europe and William the Bloody can't take out a lone Slayer, she must be special."  
  
"But what is it about this girl?" Lindsey persisted, looking from one vampire to the other. "Angel has a soul. He's fighting on the side of good. I can understand that, well, no; I can't really, but you? What's in it for you?"  
  
Lindsey'd asked the question Angel had been wondering about since Dawn confirmed his suspicions of Spike's feelings for Buffy. Spike sighed loudly, obviously contemplating a smoke, then settled for entwining his fingers behind the back of his head and rocking back in his seat. "I gotta chip in my head. It keeps me from harming humans. For some reason, the Slayer and her friends let me live rather than stake me."  
  
"They did?" Angel asked, a little surprised.  
  
"Yeah. I stayed with Harris for a while." At Lindsey's blank expression, Spike went on. "One of the Scoobies. Harris, Red, Rupert; you'll get a chance to meet them all."  
  
"Scoobies," Lindsey repeated.  
  
"Gotta tell you, Red's really come along in the magic department. She was throwing people right and left when we battled Glory," Spike said. "She attacked Glory on her own to get Tara's mind back."  
  
"You mentioned Tara before," Angel said.  
  
"Oh. Red's Wiccan girlfriend. Tara's not bad at it either but Red could be a real asset in the other dimension." Spike leaned forward, propping his elbows on his knees. "She's strong, Angel. So is Harris. He's grown a lot. Not a bad man. Good Watcher material, if he weren't attached at the groin to that vengeance demon."  
  
Angel felt as if he'd been left out of the loop. He vaguely remembered a vengeance demon. Tara? He had no clue. Spike didn't mention Oz and he wondered what happened to the young man. He was almost afraid to ask. Everyone had moved on in Sunnydale. He suddenly wondered how it would feel to return there and work with these people again. Somehow, he didn't think he'd actually be welcomed back with open arms, regardless of whether Buffy needed him or not.  
  
Not that it mattered. "I'd go to hell to bring her back."  
  
"Like Orpheus, huh?" Lindsey said, overhearing Angel's comment. "Better make sure you don't look over your shoulder for her, then."  
  
Spike cocked an eyebrow at the exchange but said nothing, wriggling deeper into his seat to get more comfortable. He could hardly wait to see Chase and Harris together again. The show promised to be better than 'Passions.'  
  
* * * Spike shoved some weaponry into his duffle. Angel had been all for driving straight to Sunnydale. Reason and much whining by Cordy about needing both fresh clothing and money swayed him. Wesley's logical remarks about their magical tomes being in the hotel and about the return date for the RV, him not wanting to be charged with grand theft auto, helped further. Lindsey pointed out that the reason he was along was they wanted him to break into Wolfram and Hart to steal some useful books sealed the return to L.A. That and the fact it was daylight by the time they hit California and Wesley was driving.  
  
Spike drew his shotgun from the trunk and moved to put it in the duffle, too. He froze mid-action, feeling eyes on him.  
  
"Should I even ask where you got a gun and why?"  
  
He turned and looked at Angel. Spike tried to slam shut the trunk but Angel caught hold of the edge. He was stronger than the slim vampire.  
  
"No," Spike muttered, preparing himself for an all-out fight once Angel realized what was in the trunk.  
  
Angel stared half shocked and half expecting what he saw. He lifted out several photos of Buffy, many of them crumpled and a few scorched along the edges. "Where did you get these? This is wrong.this is sick. What would Buffy have felt if she saw this?" Angel raged, dropping the pictures.  
  
"She knew." Spike snatched the photos away, clutching them to his chest.  
  
"She would have killed you. She should have killed you. She would have.what did you say?"  
  
Spike didn't look at Angel. He simply stowed away the gun before he was tempted to use it. "She knew. She saw them."  
  
"And she let you live?" That did surprise Angel.  
  
"Well, Dru did hit her with a cattle prod right afterwards."  
  
"Dru?" Angel's brow creased. "Why?"  
  
"So she could chain her up to play. I changed the game and used the prod on Dru. That's when I offered to kill her for Buffy." Spike's face grew morose.  
  
"What stopped you?"  
  
"Harmony shot me with an arrow and was planning to finish the job?"  
  
"Harmony? What does she have to do with it?" Angel shoved aside the pictures and took out a crossbow, too bewildered to remain furious.  
  
"She was mad because she thought she was my girlfriend and didn't want me playing with Dru and Buffy. The bint shot me!" Something between anger and amusement flavored Spike's tone.  
  
"Your girlfriend?" Angel's brow furrowed. This was even more proof he was way out of the loop. "You and that.she didn't have a thing going on in her head."  
  
"She was one of Chase's friends, is that a surprise?"  
  
Angel wanted to say no. Instead, having met Harmony, he said nothing.  
  
"Anyhow, Buffy got away. Dru left me again. So did Harmony, no big loss. Buffy knew about the pictures but she let me keep them." Spike said nothing about what he had done with those photos next. A wave of panic flooded him. If they went to Sunnydale, Angel might learn about the Buffy-Bot. Spike knew his grandsire just might kill him for it, provided he didn't die of embarrassment first. Or maybe Angel just might understand the desperation of not actually being able to have the real thing. A gambling man, Spike knew better than to bet on that. He just hoped Willow hadn't repaired the robot and everyone would be smart enough not to mention it to Angel. Of course with Harris and Anya around that wasn't a bet he'd take either.  
  
"It's still wrong." Angel said but decided not to push it further. He would need Spike's help once they got to Glory's dimension and he knew antagonizing the younger vampire wouldn't help. "Are you about ready?"  
  
"That's all the weapons I have. What about you?"  
  
"I'm ready. Wesley's got the three books we got in Pylea plus others he thinks might help. We still need to get Lindsey into the law firm to find others," Angel answered.  
  
"What about that scroll, the one that brought back Darla.just in case we're wrong about this and Buffy's not alive in that dimension?" Spike asked, turning to face Angel.  
  
Angel glanced away. "I thought about it but haven't packed it." His eyes came up to meet Spike's. They held each other's gaze for long tense moments. "I'll get it."  
  
Spike nodded and brushed past him heading for the staircase. Angel followed. Everyone else was down in the lobby chatting nervously about nothing. Lindsey looked up hearing the vampires coming down the stairs.  
  
"Is it me or is this hotel exceedingly creepy?" Lindsey asked, his head whipping around as if he expected something to leap out at him.  
  
"It's not you. A lot of people died in here to feed a Thesulac demon," Wesley said. "Angel, I was thinking, if Gunn's willing, he might be a help once we get across to the other dimension. Fred, too, but I'm not sure if it's a good idea to take her."  
  
"Fred just made it home. Taking her to another dimension, it might not be fair to her." Angel gestured. "I'm betting this place will be worse than Pylea, if what Dawn and Spike have said about Glory is true."  
  
Dawn nodded, her expression nervous. "It is."  
  
"Perhaps we should contact Kate, then, see if she might be willing to take Fred on while we're in Sunnydale," Wesley said.  
  
"I'll call her," Cordelia said, "while you guys go storm Wolfram and Hart."  
  
"Thanks, Cordy. Dawn, you stay here." Angel pointed at Spike. "You guard them."  
  
"You're not the boss of me, Peaches."  
  
"As long as you're in my hotel, I am."  
  
Spike jerked his head in irritation, fishing out his cigarettes as he stomped out into the courtyard to smoke. It'd be good to get back to Sunnydale. They respected him there, not like here, where the only person who really liked him was Dawn. Spike sucked on the end of his cigarette, grimacing. He wasn't even fooling himself. He was a fighter and they needed him. Just a body, to throw into the battle. He looked up at the night sky, wondering if Buffy could see it where she was. Wondering if she wanted to come back.  
  
* * *  
  
"I can't believe I agreed to this." Lindsey glanced up at his former place of employment.  
  
"We need your help," Angel said for what felt like the hundredth time.  
  
"I have to be insane," Lindsey grumbled, opening a hidden door, vaguely surprised the key still worked in the lock.  
  
"It's a distinct possibility," Wesley said, fiddling with his black cap when Lindsey glared at him. He looked ill at ease in his "burglar's" garb. "I'd feel better if Gunn were coming with us."  
  
"Too risky with that many people. You know what books we'll need. Gunn doesn't." Angel thumped a hand on the building. "I wish I could come in, too, but it'll just trip mystical alarms."  
  
"Let's just do this," Lindsey growled and went in. Wesley followed him.  
  
Both men crept along silently down the halls, eerie in the evening low lighting. Lindsey knew exactly where he was going and how to avoid the surveillance cameras. Finally he led them to a simple room that looked very unimpressive. Lindsey spoke a word too softly for Wesley to hear and one wall melted away. Behind the glamour was another room, crammed floor to ceiling with books and scrolls. Lindsey waved Wesley in.  
  
Mustiness and the dust of untold ages held in paper and vellum overwhelmed them. Wesley shook it off, his eyes wide and eager. For the ex-Watcher, this was Elysium. He pulled out a tome, The Journals of Addis. His hand moved to a scroll, The Writings of the Gizzi Tribe. He grinned broadly. "Is that the Tome of Feronti?"  
  
"Focus, Wesley. We can't take it all," Lindsey said.  
  
"How are these referenced?"  
  
"They aren't.yet. It's on of those things we were meaning to do but Wolfram and Hart have so much warehoused there's no time to get it organized."  
  
"That's criminal." Wesley scowled.  
  
Lindsey rolled his eyes and stabbed a finger at the far wall. "What we're after is roughly in those piles."  
  
Wesley nodded and dug in. Between them they made off with several books and Wesley helped himself to The Pascoe Papers just because he had always wanted a copy. Lindsey led the way back out and a somewhat anxious-looking Angel met them on the sidewalk.  
  
"Did you get what you need?" he asked.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"What took so long?" Angel asked, taking some of the books from Wesley and heading for the GTX.  
  
"Your boy got a little over-stimulated by the books," Lindsey said wryly.  
  
"Angel, you have no idea how much knowledge is locked up in there. It's criminal for them to have so much. I had to leave behind a beautiful copy of Croslov's Cryptics," Wesley said unashamedly.  
  
"We can't take everything. They might not realize a few books are missing but they can't help noticing if you clear the room out with a forklift," Lindsey said.  
  
"I was beginning to think something happened to you," Angel said as they piled into his car.  
  
"It's killing me to leave all those books behind." Wesley cast a mournful look back at the building.  
  
"It would have been a death sentence if you'd taken them all," Lindsey replied as Angel started them down the road.  
  
Noticing Lindsey looking back at the law building, Angel asked, "Is there something wrong?"  
  
"It was too easy," Lindsey replied, turning around, a frown settling onto his features.  
  
"Don't fight good luck," Wesley said.  
  
"I guess." Lindsey hoped that was that it was and not a set up for Wolfram and Hart to rain down vengeance. 


	2. chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO  
  
Lilah wet her lips, wondering not for the first time about the ambitions that drove her. She had to succeed and that had led to her being co-chair with Lindsey McDonald. Well, until he had had his hand magically reattached for which he had repaid Wolfram and Hart by quitting. Lilah had met that with both joy and fear. She alone had power now but then again, failures couldn't be blamed on her male counterpart.  
  
When he was around, Lindsey excelled at getting them both into hot water. Even now he was causing her no end of trouble. She wasn't waiting in a nightclub for two women on her own volition. Wolfram and Hart hadn't been thrilled to discover several of their magical tomes missing. Worse, surveillance had captured Lindsey in the act of stealing them but most chilling to Lilah was the fact she had had no idea that the camera had existed. Surveillance of the outside of the building showed a familiar car going past the building.  
  
"All the pretty lights, how they make me want to soar."  
  
Lilah startled at the somewhat wispy voice, even though she was waiting for it. She glanced around and saw Dru and Darla. Dru spun circles, looking at the flashing dance lights while Darla all but dragged her along.  
  
Ensconcing Dru on a bar stool next to Lilah, Darla gave the lawyer a silky smile. "I'm surprised you're here, Lilah." Darla made the name sound like a curse.  
  
Lilah fumbled for the gin and tonic she knew she shouldn't be drinking. "You know why Wolfram and Hart want me to talk to you two."  
  
"Precious books floated away," Dru cooed, wiggling her fingers at Lilah.  
  
Stolen, yes."  
  
"What makes Wolfram and Hart think we want anything to do with this?" Darla trailed a finger through a wet circle left behind by a sweating glass.  
  
Lilah tossed her hair. "Because Lindsey stole them with Angel's help."  
  
"Oooo, has Daddy been bad?" Dru clapped her hands delightedly.  
  
Darla shot her a look. "When is he anything but? I still don't see why Dru and I should care."  
  
"Angel tried to burn you both alive. I'd think you'd want a chance at revenge," Lilah said.  
  
Dru's pointed face looked stricken. "Oh, how Daddy hurt us." She moaned, slumping on her chair.  
  
"Yes, well you both will get your chance for revenge when you get those books back for us," Lilah said.  
  
Darla tried to shrug off the memory. "It's not the first time Angelus has betrayed us."  
  
"Daddy can be very very bad and never gets invited to tea," Dru said.  
  
Lilah smirked uneasily. "I'm not sure I believe you don't want revenge. You see if our sources are right he took these books and headed for Sunnydale. That can only mean one thing. He's taking them to the Slayer's friends."  
  
Darla's lips pulled into a thin line as she played with the hem of her loose, big shirt. "The Slayer.." she murmured, hatred lacing every syllable.  
  
"She's dead," Lilah said. "Half the L.A. demon underworld rejoiced. Didn't you hear?"  
  
"We try not to mingle with the riffraff and I've had other.concerns," Darla said, unconsciously brushing a hand over her belly.  
  
Dru giggled. "Told you I felt my poor Spike's heart break when the light went out in the sky. You didn't believe." She wagged a finger at the older vampire.  
  
"Dru, you spout a lot of nonsense. I can't make heads or tails of most of it. The Slayer's dead?" A wicked smile crossed Darla's pale face. "Good! You have no idea what she cost us. She killed the Master.goaded Angel into killing me." Pain flashed in her eyes at the remembrance.  
  
"Those books and scrolls are for dimensional crossings," Lilah said, toying with her drink. "He already has the scroll we used to bring you back from the dead, Darla."  
  
"Why should this be of interest?" Darla affected boredom but her eyes betrayed her. She was very interested.  
  
"Don't you understand, Darla? Angel is trying to bring the Slayer back."  
  
"Why do you care?"  
  
"I don't. The Slayer's never bothered us. We just want our books. We figured you'd have issues with the Slayer and we can work to help each other. You stop Angel, get our books back and the love of Angel's life stays dead," Lilah said, hoping that she didn't overplay her hand with the reminder of who Angel really loved.  
  
"Daddy fancies the Slayer." Dru giggled some more then pouted. "So does my pet. Spike is such a naughty boy."  
  
"The world does not need a Slayer returned from the dead," Darla said with finality.  
  
"Then you'll help us?" Lilah grinned triumphantly. What she wouldn't give to see the look on Lindsey's face when he realized she had set the vampire he loved hot on his and Angel's heels. She half hoped Darla would eat him.  
  
"We'll get your books for you, Lilah, and the Slayer can stay nicely dead." Darla let her face morph at the happy thought of screwing over Angel. She had never made him happy for even a moment. Those words of his haunted her and she'd make sure they'd come back to haunt him. Even if they managed to bring the Slayer back, Darla would do her best to make her dead again.  
  
* * * Lindsey walked aimlessly around the hotel lobby, left with nothing to do while the others packed. A woman stared at him thoughtfully, from where she sat behind the desk. She'd been introduced to him as Fred before everyone scattered, Cordelia and Wesley disappearing in Cordelia's car, Spike, Dawn and Angel upstairs to their respective rooms.  
  
"So. What did Angel do to save you?" Fred's voice echoed a little around the cavernous room.  
  
He paused, looking back at her. "Angel didn't save me," he said, grinning slightly at the presumption.  
  
Fred cocked her head to one side. "Really? He found me and brought me home. Where there's food and warm baths and maybe, someday, my family again." She glanced towards the staircase. "His girl? Is she going to save him?"  
  
"Huh?" Lindsey couldn't help it; he walked back over to the desk, taking the chair opposite of it. "What do you mean?"  
  
Fred smiled shyly and ducked her head, looking at him from behind the curtain of her hair. "He hasn't been right, Angel, not since he found out about his girl." One of her hands clawed at the desktop then it stopped and laid there, like a quiescent animal. "Dawn saved him. And now they're both bubbling like a cauldron, all happy and excited." She leaned across the desktop. "His girl's not dead, she's risen." Her eyes searched Lindsey's and tilted towards the ceiling, maybe beyond. "Like judgment day." She hummed softly, a tune Lindsey recognized as "I'll Fly Away." He'd sung it enough in Sunday school back in Oklahoma.  
  
He shook his head to break Fred's spell. Anyone else besides this group of people might think the woman mad. They might've taken Fred to a hospital and never looked back. There was a sound on the staircase and Dawn appeared, a duffel bag slung over her shoulder. She came down the steps in a rush, almost as if she floated. Joy overflowed from her, lapping to the far reaches of the lobby and she dropped the bag. Dawn joined them at the desk, her hands entwining and relaxing, then starting all over again. "Please, Fred, tell me," she said, barely able to keep her feet from dancing. "What did Willow say?"  
  
Fred took the girl's hands in hers and looked just past her shoulder, remembering. "She came into the door like a cheerful flame," she said, a faint smile curling the corners of her mouth. "Gunn and I were here and she bounced right across the floor, like you're doing now."  
  
Dawn rolled her eyes towards Lindsey, who shrugged slightly. "What else, Fred?"  
  
"She asked, 'Where's Dawn? Where's Angel? I need to see them.'" Fred straightened her shoulders and spoke in a deeper voice. "Gunn, he said, 'What you need them for?' He made a face," the woman demonstrated to her audience of two, "because the last time she came, she brought so much hurt. But she didn't even notice, she was so happy. 'I need to see them. Where are they? Please, it's important.'"  
  
Dawn squeezed Fred's hands. "Then what?"  
  
"Gunn asked why it was so important but even he could see her glowing. But he acted all tough and said, 'Why?' And she said," Dawn said the name along with Fred, "Buffy."  
  
Lindsey wondered at a Slayer named Buffy. Faith was bad enough, but Buffy? Just Southern California all the way.  
  
The doors opened and Wesley and Cordelia came in, each with bags. Lindsey found himself going to them and taking a bag from each of them, carrying them into the lobby. He felt Cordelia's eyes burning a hole in his back and tried to ignore it. He set the bags next to Dawn's.  
  
"Dawn, why don't you come help me with the books?" Wesley asked. "We need to choose those that might be useful in Sunnydale."  
  
If anything she brightened more. "Really? Buffy never lets me touch Giles' books," she said, scampering after the Brit like a gangly puppy. They disappeared into one of the offices, leaving Lindsey with Fred and Cordelia. Fred picked up a pen and began doodling on a piece of paper, though she flicked her gaze between the pair remaining in the lobby.  
  
"So." Cordelia tossed back her hair, narrowing her eyes at Lindsey. "Just for the record? I don't like you. I don't trust you. And if you do anything, and I mean anything, to hurt any of my friends, I personally will make sure you get put into the deepest pit known not only to mankind but demonkind. Got it?"  
  
"Don't mince words, Cordelia," Lindsey said. "Let me know how you really feel."  
  
She walked to him, her arms crossed across her chest. "Your law firm nearly destroyed Angel," she said. "You say you've broken with it but last time that happened, you went running right back to them." Cordelia motioned at him with her chin. "You lost your hand to Angel. I'd say, you want some revenge. This could be a good chance to get it."  
  
"I'm out of Wolfram and Hart, Cordelia. They killed a friend of mine to give me this." He held up his arm, staring at the hand attached to it before turning his attention back to the brunette. "A friend."  
  
Cordelia snorted. "Do lawyers even have friends?"  
  
"I did." Lindsey glared at her. "He was a good guy. Decent. And I'm sorry he's dead. If I wasn't trying to help, I'd've made you guys drop me off somewhere rather than come back to L.A. in the first place. There's a target on my head now as big as the one on Angel's. You can believe it or not but Wolfram and Hart invested a lot of money in me. You think they're just going to let me go? Why do you think I was in Oklahoma? I was hiding out. Maybe that was too far for them to go." He laughed shortly. "Not too far for your boy, though. And now he's going on a wild goose chase to find the Slayer, who may or not be alive?" Lindsey shook his head. "Man, that's some sort of dedication."  
  
Glancing towards the stairs, Cordelia's face softened, just a little. "There's nowhere too far for Angel. Not where his friends are concerned." She looked back at Lindsey, her expression a little pitying. "That's what you'll never understand, Lindsey. He's a hero. He's like Superman. No, wait, that's Buffy. He's Batman. All the rest of us are the Superfriends. Second string, you know? God, I can't believe how much I'm sounding like Xander." She poked a perfectly manicured fingernail into Lindsey's chest. "And you, you're Lex Luther. Or the Joker. Someone evil. And Angel may give you another chance. He's big on that for everyone but himself. But I'm watching you."  
  
Lindsey looked down at the nail, drilling a hole into his chest. "Fair enough."  
  
"You know, there's one thing I don't get," Cordelia said, taking her hand back. "I mean, you lawyer types are supposed to be so smart. You wanted Angel on your side and you brought back Darla to get him."  
  
"Yeah, so?" Lindsey wasn't sure where she was going with this.  
  
"You went about it all wrong. You attacked him." She smiled pityingly. "You should've gone after his family."  
  
* * * Angel paused inside the doors of the Bronze. Buffy ought to be in here. She'd said earlier she would probably come tonight, which Willow helpfully translated as, "That means she will be there. Just go. And don't keep her waiting." So here he was, standing inside the Bronze. Barry Manilow was singing up on stage, a slow song, not like he did many fast ones, but crooning out to the audience.  
  
"You remind me, I live in a shell. Safe from the past and doing okay, But not very well."  
  
He began walking around the outskirts of the crowd, seeking her out. He caught a glimpse of blond hair and sped up a little, trying to catch her. She ducked around behind the back of the stage. Angel followed, surprised not to find her there. He glanced around, wondering how she might've disappeared.  
  
"What are you looking for, Angel?"  
  
The voice was totally unexpected and he turned, his hands coming up automatically in defense. "Holland Manners," he said, suspiciously. "You're dead."  
  
The grey-haired attorney cocked his head slightly to one side. "The same thing could be said about you. But I didn't come here to discuss semantics. I asked you a question. Be polite now, and answer it."  
  
"Why should I tell you?" Angel asked, wary.  
  
"Because you never know where a helping hand could come from." He paused then asked, "What makes you think you'll find the Slayer?" He held up a hand to quell Angel's protest. "Let me rephrase that. What makes you think she wants to be found?"  
  
"I," Angel said and stopped. Maybe Buffy didn't want to be found.  
  
"See?" Manners smiled beatifically. "Just trying to be helpful."  
  
Angel saw a flash of pale gold and pushed past the lawyer. "Gotta go," he said, tracking Buffy. He saw her tug open a heavy door and dart through. "Buffy! Wait for me!"  
  
"You'll be back," Manners called helpfully behind him.  
  
He jogged to the door, pulling it open. A wave of light splashed on him and he retreated automatically, his hand flung up to protect his face. The light didn't burn though, so he poked his head through.  
  
"Where have you been, Angel?" Cordelia's voice scolded him. "You were supposed to get the popcorn, or did you forget?"  
  
He blinked, stepping inside the mansion. He hesitated, looking around himself, then back at the door. Through it he could still see Manilow, singing on the stage of the Bronze.  
  
"And I'm ready to take a chance again, Ready to put my love on the line for you.  
  
Been living with nothing to show for it  
  
You get what you get when you go for it. And I'm ready to take a chance again, with you."  
  
"Did you get the popcorn, Dead Boy?" Xander asked.  
  
"I," Angel said, turning from the doorway. Something wasn't quite right. There was furniture everywhere; stuffed couches, coffee table, easy chairs. A large-screen TV sat in the mouth of the fireplace. Something was playing on it.  
  
"I brought doughnuts," Xander said, pointing to the box on the table. "Jelly filled."  
  
"Have you seen Buffy?" Angel asked Xander, a little desperately.  
  
"I'll ask." Xander turned around and suddenly the furniture was occupied. Oz and Willow sat together, with another girl. A young woman Angel almost recognized argued with Spike over the remote control. Giles sat in one of the chairs, with Jenny Calendar on his lap. She flickered in and out when Angel stared at her.  
  
"Stop looking at her directly, you'll make her vanish," Giles said, frowning at him.  
  
Cordelia, Gunn and Wesley were sprawled on another couch. Cordelia cocked an eyebrow at him, waving a hand at the TV screen. "What's with the vampire movie? I mean, 'Fright Night'? Couldn't you pick something from this century?"  
  
"Has anyone seen Buffy?" Xander asked loudly, rocking on his heels. They all exchanged long looks and turned their attention to the movie. "No?" Xander shrugged his shoulders, putting his hands behind his back. "No. Guess you're out of luck, big guy. Too bad."  
  
"Xander, I know you don't like me but I need to find Buffy. She needs me."  
  
"Really?" Xander squinted at him. "Sure she does. Our Buff can take care of herself."  
  
"Angel!"  
  
"Xander, I just want to help her. I have to find her to be able to help her," Angel said, frustrated.  
  
"Angel!"  
  
"I've seen what you can do to her," Xander said coldly, his expression closing off. "She doesn't need that kind of help."  
  
"Xander, please."  
  
"Nope." Xander ambled back to the others, dropping next to the girl and Spike, plucking the control from their hands and tossing his legs onto the coffee table.  
  
Spike looked at Xander in surprise. "You've grown up, Harris," he said.  
  
"Better believe it." The dark haired young man smiled cockily and draped an arm around the girl. "And I have the power." He pointed the remote at the TV.  
  
"Angel." The voice, now exasperated, caught his attention and he turned to it. Willow wriggled her fingers at him, her face glowing in excitement.  
  
"Willow," he said, relieved. Willow would tell him how to find Buffy.  
  
"He's wrong. I have the power." She grinned, pointing behind him. "See?"  
  
Angel looked back, seeing Drusilla, trussed in the chains hanging from the wall. She snarled at him. "Naughty, naughty Daddy," she said. "Playing with all these toys, not giving one, just one to your baby girl." She kicked her feet.  
  
"Willow, do you know where Buffy is?"  
  
Willow tilted to peer around him, then turned her head to look over her shoulder, her lower lip poking out. "She was just here. She wanted popcorn. Did you get it?"  
  
"I," Angel said.  
  
Shaking a finger at him, Willow said, "You know how Buffy likes her popcorn." Her expressive face fell. "Maybe she went with Riley to get some. I thought I saw him in there, earlier." She hooked a thumb over her shoulder. "Do you want me to help you find her?"  
  
"Please," Angel said.  
  
Willow grinned and took his arm. "It's really easy. You just take the second star to the right." She made a gesture with her free hand, many- colored sparks flickering in the air around them. The magic got caught in her hair, like Christmas lights and she sobered. "Buffy's waiting for you." Willow pointed at a doorway. "Go on."  
  
"Aren't you coming, too?" Angel asked her.  
  
Shaking her head, Willow entwined her fingers together. "Spike might. If you ask him."  
  
Angel looked back the way he'd come, not seeing the younger vampire at all now. Cordelia was squabbling with Xander for the remote. "Where is he?"  
  
"I'll ask," Willow said, stepping backwards, towards the others. Angel frowned as she vanished into a swirling grey mist and he turned to the doorway and walked through it. Drusilla paced next to him, a faint smile on her mouth.  
  
"What?" he asked her.  
  
"Daddy doesn't always get what he wants," she said.  
  
"How did you get out of your chains?" Angel asked.  
  
"I had the key."  
  
He stopped, seeing Darla, her hands loosely around Dawn's neck. The girl struggled but froze as Darla's fingers tightened. "Darla, let her go," Angel said, lifting a hand.  
  
"Oh, no, lover. I don't think so." Darla purred into Dawn's ear. "She's so helpless. And don't you want to know what her blood would taste like? Summers' blood. Just as yummy as when you snacked on your Slayer, don't you think?"  
  
"Angel," Dawn cried.  
  
"It's me you want, Darla, not Dawn. Turn her loose."  
  
"Why? So you can play hero and rescue her? You staked me for her sister. Can't I eat her for you?" She licked Dawn's neck. "Mm. She smells so good, Angel. Don't you want a little sip?"  
  
Drusilla joined Darla, her mad eyes gleaming over Dawn's shoulder. "Just a little sip, Daddy," she said, holding up her index finger and thumb, less than an inch apart. "I won't tell that you've been naughty."  
  
"Let her go," Angel said, his hands clenching into fists.  
  
"Hm." Darla suddenly shoved Dawn at him and he caught her automatically. "All right, Angel. We're after bigger game, anyway." Her laughter fell around him like glass breaking and she and Dru were gone.  
  
"Are you all right, Dawn?" Angel asked, tilting her chin up.  
  
"What are you waiting for?" she asked. "Buffy needs you." She squirmed out of his arms. "She was right here." Dawn's eyes got big as she searched for her sister. "I can't lose her again, Angel. You have to find her."  
  
"I will, Dawn. I promise." He nodded at Dawn as she stepped aside.  
  
She smiled at him, waving. "Oh, Angel? You might need this." She threw him a sword.  
  
Angel frowned but caught it, taking a step forward. The sword was heavy in his hands, dragging him down. It seemed awkward to be carrying it but somehow, Dawn thought he needed it. He felt someone's eyes on him and glanced back. Dawn was gone, no real surprise. He hefted the sword and started walking slowly, not trusting this at all. It was too strange. The weapon slipped and he freshened his grip, wondering why it weighed so much.  
  
Another door beckoned and Angel moved through it and back to Pylea. He saw Willow, sitting in the long grass, a wreath of flowers on her head. She braided another, her attention focused on the stems she wove together. Angel crossed to her, the sword dragging his arms lower the closer he got to the girl. "That won't help you find Buffy," Willow said, not looking up.  
  
"Angel?"  
  
He ignored the voice to concentrate on the redhead. "What do I need, Willow?"  
  
"Angel?" The voice seemed to come from all around, more insistent this time. "Come on!"  
  
She shaded her eyes then, blinking up at him. "You know."  
  
"No, Willow," Angel said, squatting in the grass next to her. "Please, tell me."  
  
Willow smiled a tiny, enigmatic smile. "They need you," she said, her gaze flitting away, over the green grass to somewhere else. "See ya."  
  
"Angel! I swear, he sleeps like the dead."  
  
"He is dead, Cordelia."  
  
"Well, he sleeps like it! Angel!"  
  
He opened his eyes, staring up at the ceiling. Slowly, he rolled from the bed and went to the door, opening it. Cordelia and Gunn stood on the other side. He pawed at his hair absently, the dream images slipping from his grasp as he stared at them both.  
  
"Good afternoon to you, sleeping beauty," Cordelia said. "We're all packed and ready to go."  
  
"Fred?"  
  
"Downstairs with Kate."  
  
Angel nodded. "Let's go, then." He glanced around the room, seeing nothing he needed here besides the small bag, packed by his door. He grabbed the handles and followed Cordy and Gunn down the stairs and into the lobby of the Hyperion.  
  
Kate smiled at him. "I wondered if I'd see you," she said.  
  
"Sorry," he mumbled as he walked to her. "I was.having bad dreams."  
  
She cocked her blonde head at him. "Really?"  
  
He nodded then laid a hand on her arm, pulling her a little away. "You understand what we're doing?"  
  
"I'm not sure." The corner of her mouth twitched. "There's someone known as the Slayer, who died but you don't think she's dead." Her hand motion took in the rest of the people milling in the lobby. "You actually think she's in another dimension so you're going to Sunnydale to see if you can find her."  
  
"That's pretty much it, yeah," Angel said.  
  
Kate crossed her arms. "I hope you don't mind me saying this, but it sounds like a wild goose chase."  
  
Angel kept a firm grip on his hope. "I mind, Kate. But it's okay." He paused. "It's the least that I can do for her."  
  
Dawn sidled a little closer. "Angel? Come on." She twisted like a rope in the wind. "Buffy needs us."  
  
Kate glanced from the girl back to Angel. "Buffy?" She frowned slightly, her eyes ticking to the side. "That's the girl from the police station, isn't it? When your friend Faith turned herself in?" Angel nodded as her expression shuttered. "You.love her very much."  
  
Sometimes that word didn't seem strong enough for what he'd felt for Buffy. "Yeah," he said, finally.  
  
"Then good luck getting her back," Kate said, squeezing his shoulder. She took a step away. "Fred? Are you ready?"  
  
Fred skittered over, her sweet grin flickering into place. "We're going to find my family?" she asked.  
  
"Exactly." Kate gave her a reassuring smile.  
  
"And you're gonna find your girl?" Fred asked Angel, not quite looking at him.  
  
He took her narrow shoulders in his hands. "It's important, Fred. And it could be dangerous. Sunnydale's no picnic on a normal day. Mixing in other dimension and the fact that there is no Slayer there now, well, I wouldn't want you to get hurt."  
  
"I-I understand, Angel," Fred said. She lifted her head, searching his eyes. "You take care, hear? And-and, good luck."  
  
"Let's move it, people," Spike said impatiently. "We're burning moonlight."  
  
They all trailed towards the doors, each partnering up for the drive to Sunnydale. "I'll take good care of her for you, Angel," Kate said, laying an arm across Fred's shoulders.  
  
"I appreciate it, Kate," he said as Spike sauntered over.  
  
"I'm goin' with you and little bit," the blond vampire said.  
  
"No smoking in the car," Angel said automatically.  
  
"Bloody hell."  
  
"Shotgun," Dawn said.  
  
"Someone wants bit," Spike warned her.  
  
"No threatening anyone either, remember Spike?" Angel glanced at the younger vampire, holding those pale eyes until they dropped. He raised his voice. "Pack it up, Wes, we're ready to go."  
  
The ex-Watcher looked up from one of the stolen texts. "Everything is in the trunk of your car, Angel." He waggled the book in his hands. "But this. You are riding with me, Lindsey. You must give me your take on this. Its importance to our venture could be astronomical."  
  
Cordelia rolled her eyes and sighed. "That means I'm left to drive."  
  
"Uh, uh, Cor," Gunn said. "I seen how you steer. I'll drive. You passenge."  
  
"I've never gotten a ticket in my life," Cordelia groused.  
  
"There's always a first time. Gimme." He held out his hand and Cordelia reluctantly handed over the keys.  
  
"Well, let's saddle up and move it on out," Lindsey said.  
  
Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Who died and made you John Wayne?" She followed Gunn to the door. Angel herded everyone outside, locking the door behind him. Dawn bounced along the sidewalk and into his Plymouth, Spike slouching after her. Angel watched as Gunn, Wes and Lindsey piled into Cordy's car. "Don't break any speed limits," Cordy said, fixing Angel with a glare as she stood next to the passenger door. "Cause the cops just would love to have something on you, I'll bet."  
  
"I'll drive safely. I have Dawn with me, remember?"  
  
"Right. Remind her to buckle up. If Spike falls out, it's not big loss."  
  
"I heard that, Chase," Spike said, from the back seat.  
  
"Like I care." Cordelia tossed her hair and got into her car.  
  
Angel turned back to Kate and Fred as Spike climbed into the GTX. "Thanks again, Kate," he said.  
  
"No problem. Fred and I," she smiled at the younger woman, "we'll be okay. And we've got your cell number, in case we aren't."  
  
"Bye, Angel," Fred said, taking his hand. "You do what you have to do."  
  
He squeezed her fingers gently. "I will, Fred."  
  
The horn from his car blasted through the early evening and Spike yelled, "Are we going or are you gonna hang out here all night?"  
  
"Gotta go." Angel disengaged from Fred and walked to his car, swinging his bag into the back on top of Spike. "Hold that, youngster," he said, sliding inside.  
  
Spike snarled, throwing the bag to the floor. Dawn fastened her seatbelt and waved at Fred. "Good luck on finding your family!"  
  
"Good luck finding your sister." Fred waved back.  
  
Angel started the engine, gripping the steering wheel a little too tightly. Sunnydale. He was returning to Sunnydale, the home of too many of his past mistakes and the one great joy of his existence. Focusing his attention, he shifted the car into gear and pulled out after Cordy's car, willing the fear to settle in his stomach.  
  
Dawn turned in the seat, her expression unusually solemn. "Do you guys think she'll be okay?" she asked almost too softly to be heard over the air rushing over them.  
  
Spike leaned forward, half over the seat. "She'll be fine, niblet," he said. He patted her shoulder clumsily. "Just fine."  
  
Angel only hoped Dawn couldn't hear the worry in Spike's voice. "Wherever she is, Dawn, Buffy's good," Angel said, praying he didn't lie. 


	3. chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE Light spangled in her eyes, bright, warm and all so completely wrong. There shouldn't be a sun in the sky, forcing her to shade her eyes. There shouldn't be.a lot of things. She couldn't remember all of them, those things that shouldn't exist. She kind of thought..  
  
What she could remember was simple. Punch. Kick. Spin. Claw. Grab. Fight fight fight.  
  
Pain.  
  
She remembered pain. It was a constant companion (wrong, so completely wrong), cramping her body, twisting her step, forcing her to the ground. And she knew somehow, ground meant death and would fight to pull herself upright again.  
  
Her eyes, hazy, tired from the sight of the sun, tearing in agony, picked out shapes moving towards her. Her body screamed as she put it into position. Had she thought, she might have wondered at that, what it meant to stand in a certain way, to present the narrowest part of her body to this threat, hands clenched lightly and arms curled up, one leg behind the other, shoulder width apart.  
  
.maybe.  
  
She snarled, a weak, animal sound and surprised herself. Didn't she bare her teeth and growl?  
  
"What is it?"  
  
Strange voice; deep, gravelly. Threat. She blinked her eyes rapidly to clear them, disappointed when it didn't work.  
  
"We've heard reports about it." Second voice, with a tinge of worry.  
  
She focused her attention towards the second voice. That one was weaker.  
  
"Look at it. Do you think it wants to fight?" A coarse laugh. "It's about to collapse."  
  
"Wounded animals always fight harder," the second voice said.  
  
"Surely you don't think it's dangerous." The first voice made fun of the second one.  
  
She squinted, trying to make the blob into something that made sense. Grey mingled with green mingled with flesh tones.not resolving into anything. Heads should be up top. That she knew. Everything else? Well.punch, kick, stab.maybe..  
  
"I'm not interested in taking that chance," the second voice said distastefully.  
  
The blob separated into to two indistinct not-shapes, one of them moving slowly around her. She hitched herself after it, trying to keep her agony from showing.  
  
"It wants to fight. Look at that," the first voice said admiringly.  
  
"It's an animal in pain. It should be destroyed," the second voice said, sounding very bored with all of this.  
  
Her head whipped around, nearly toppling her. She'd almost forgotten the second voice, following the figureless figure of the first. She bit down the groan that threatened to rise in her throat. Couldn't give them that. It might signal their attack.  
  
"No, I've never seen one like this before. We should take it; clean it up. We might be able to make some money."  
  
"Always with the money," the second voice said, starting to sound irritated at last.  
  
Now she swung between the two, unsure which might be the worse threat. Maybe her body decided for her. She found herself moving, stumbling across the ground towards the second voice, wondering why this seemed wrong; why memories told her she could move without pain. She forced her fist to recoil and shoot straight out from her side.  
  
She fell, a tumble to the ground in a spasm of misery, knowing she hadn't even completed her strike. Wrong, all of it wrong.she cried in her head.  
  
"It's making sounds," the first voice said doubtfully.  
  
"It tried to attack me," the second voice said nervously.  
  
"It didn't even get close to you." The first voice overrode the second.  
  
There were murmurs beyond that but she stopped caring, her eyes wide open, staring up at the sky. Agony smothered her like a blanket, making her twitch and groan but she didn't fight when her hands and feet were tied and they hoisted her off the ground. Dangling, she swung, her head lolling because of its weight on her neck, everything moving past her at too quick a rate so she closed her eyes. A thought spooled through her, or maybe an instinct, but she wondered at it, marveled; hated it.  
  
Maybe.wasn't she supposed to be dead?  
  
* * * "Here," Spike said, directing Angel to the right street. Dawn bounced in her seat next to him, her excitement coloring her cheeks.  
  
"The magic shop?" Angel asked, parking his car. Dawn swung open the door, jumping out of it before he had the engine turned off.  
  
"Rupert bought it," Spike said, climbing out of the car. He grabbed Angel's bag and flung it at him, a smarmy grin plastered on his face. "Oh, wait. You didn't know that, did you?"  
  
Gunn glanced around, taking in the sights as he exited Cordelia's car. "Suburbia." He nodded. "It's a lot cleaner than L.A."  
  
"Why are we here?" Cordelia asked as Dawn started for the entrance. She tugged the door open, bells jangling.  
  
Angel gave her a slight shrug. "Giles bought it," he said.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Mr. Giles is a shop keeper?" Wesley said, peering up at the sign above the door.  
  
"Oo, it speaks." Cordelia flashed him a look. "I don't know how you could read for two straight hours. My stomach gets queasy if I look at anything in a car."  
  
A faint grin touched Wesley's mouth. "Superior Watcher training, I suppose," he said smugly.  
  
"God, couldn't you have left me in Oklahoma?" Lindsey said.  
  
"No," chorused the others.  
  
Spike ignored them to light up a cigarette. "Home sweet Sunnydale," he said. "Can't say I've missed the place. Well, I could." He rolled his shoulders. "'Course, I didn't leave in such a dramatic way, breakin' a girl's heart an' all."  
  
Angel grabbed him by the collar of his jacket. "Put that thing out and get inside."  
  
Spike took a long drag on the cigarette, blowing the smoke into Angel's face. He pulled free, adjusting the collar of his jacket and flicked the butt onto the sidewalk. "Just you remember, Angel," he said. "I'm a good guy, here." With that, he swaggered up to the door, following Dawn inside.  
  
"Eww, there's just something wrong with that," Cordy said, shaking her hands as if she'd touched something noxious.  
  
"You don't hear me arguing," Angel said, almost under his breath. Squaring his shoulders, he followed Spike, the others falling in behind him.  
  
The sight that greeted his eyes as he opened the door was one he would have never expected to see, even if he lived forever. Spike and Xander, standing together, Xander shaking Spike's hand and grinning madly. Angel froze on the doorstep, causing Cordelia to smash into his back. She wormed out from behind him, angry that he'd screwed up her entrance then took in the scene before them. "Oh, that's even more wrong," she muttered, then took Angel's arm, hauling him in with her.  
  
"Spike. You came back," Xander was saying as they drew closer.  
  
"Knew you needed me. That the Slayer needed me." Spike released Xander's hand and stepped away, giving Angel a look. "So. Where is she and where do I need to go to get her back?"  
  
"It-it isn't that easy." Tara appeared from the back room, hesitating slightly upon seeing the newcomers.  
  
"Tara!" Dawn flung herself at the young woman, who caught her, hugging her close. "I'm so glad to see you."  
  
"I'm g-glad to see you, Dawn," she said, stroking her hair from her face. "You look great."  
  
"I'm okay." Her eyes swam with tears but none fell. "I missed you."  
  
"We all missed you," Tara said in reply.  
  
"And I see you brought Wesley and Cordelia. Nice to see you again," Xander said, favoring both of them with an uneasy look. "And other.reinforcements?"  
  
Gunn stepped forward. "Gunn," he said and tilted his head to indicate the man next to him. "And Lindsey. He's here under protest."  
  
Lindsey spread his hands. "Your vampire friends came all the way to Oklahoma for her." He motioned with his chin at Dawn. "Pretty persistent."  
  
"Oklahoma?" Xander fixed Angel with a stare.  
  
"Angel's my temporary guardian," Dawn said.  
  
"Angel?" Xander said. "Man, the things just keep getting weirder."  
  
"Yes, well," Wesley said. "Be that as it may, I suppose we have a lot of work to do."  
  
"Research." Xander rubbed his hands together. "Good thing I brought extra jelly doughnuts." He gestured at a table, strewn with books and surrounded by comfortable-looking chairs. A box perched precariously on top of a stack of books, obviously the proclaimed pastries.  
  
An interruption came in the forms of two women, one blonde, one redhead, appearing from where an office might be. Dawn's face brightened more and she pulled free of Tara to launch herself at them. "Willow!"  
  
"Dawny!" Willow hugged the younger girl. "You're back." She pushed her a little away. "And you've grown!"  
  
Dawn grinned and she ducked her head. "Hey, Anya." She hugged the other women.  
  
"Hello, Dawn." Anya suffered the hug, though she watched the strangers in the shop closely. "Are they customers? Oh, no, there're Angel and Cordelia. Probably not." She sighed.  
  
"You haven't changed a bit," Dawn said.  
  
"Should I have?" Anya looked a little puzzled.  
  
"Well, Cordy, have you been breaking hearts in L.A.?" Xander asked.  
  
"Heads is more like it," Gunn said proudly. "Our girl's gettin' good with an axe."  
  
"Cordelia?" Xander asked in surprise.  
  
She smiled at Gunn. "L.A.'s been good to me."  
  
"What happened with Harmony?" Willow asked.  
  
Cordelia's face turned stony. "I told her to get out of my town," she said.  
  
"Wait a minute. Harm came to L.A.? And no one told me?" Spike glared at Cordelia.  
  
"We should've staked her," Gunn muttered.  
  
"She used to be a friend of mine," Cordelia said.  
  
"Oh, I used to date her and I think you should've staked her, too," Spike said. "Tried to once. She had on that bleeding Gem of Amarra so it didn't take." He perked up. "What happened to that thing?"  
  
"After you finished torturing me? I destroyed it," Angel said tightly. He noticed the expressions on the faces of Buffy's friends but didn't regret telling them. He paced into the room. "Willow. We have texts that might help find Buffy, give us an idea where she is, how to get her back. Where do you want them?"  
  
"Oh, of course. The table." Willow motioned. "Do you need help with them?"  
  
"No, I've got them." Angel left the store, hoping the air outside would clear his head. That Xander would welcome Spike back gnawed at him. That Willow and Tara seemed fine with him was almost more than Angel could understand. Didn't they understand that Spike was a killer?  
  
A faint chime of bells alerted him to Wesley's approach. "Don't let it get to you, Angel."  
  
"Let what get to me?"  
  
Wesley put his hands behind his back. "I know it has to hurt, after all you've been through with them." His glasses reflected the street lamp as he turned towards Angel. "They trust Spike and they don't trust you."  
  
"They're right not to trust me," Angel said bitterly. "I tried to kill Willow. I tortured Giles and killed the woman he loved. I would've sent this world to hell, if Buffy hadn't sent me there first. I nearly drained Buffy. I beat up her boyfriend." He looked away from the younger man. "I hurt her so much."  
  
Wesley nodded. "I know." He squeezed Angel's shoulder. "But now you have a chance to bring her back to those who love her. Who need her." He coughed softly, changing the subject. "Those texts we stole from Wolfram and Hart are amazing, Angel. One is filled with dimensional maps. I haven't had much time to look at them but what I've seen confounds me. It isn't right that those blackguards should have access to such things."  
  
"Maybe we can take that up with them, afterwards," Angel said. He opened the trunk of the GTX. "Come on. Let's get these inside so we can find Buffy."  
  
"And bring her home," Wesley said.  
  
Angel let a smile touch the corners of his mouth at Wesley's optimism. "And bring her home."  
  
* * *  
  
Spike was bored.  
  
Everyone lolled around, not doing anything. Well, they were doing research, noses buried in books and texts and all, but not doing anything interesting. He'd gone outside and smoked his last cigarette hours ago and no one seemed any closer to finding the Slayer than they did while he was chasing around Oklahoma with the poofter. He got to his feet abruptly, tossing his book onto the table with a thud. Four or five people jumped. Angel just looked at him, narrowing his eyes.  
  
"I'm going out," Spike said.  
  
"You're needed here," Angel said.  
  
"I've gone through that bloody book there and those over there," Spike stabbed a finger at the offending texts, "and they've got nothing that'll help us. And I'm out of cigarettes and I need a smoke." He rolled his shoulders. "Besides, thought I might get in some slaying. Bet there's vamps out there."  
  
Dawn closed her book. "I'd like to change clothes," she said hopefully. "I mean, get something new to wear? I haven't had a real shower in.." She made a face. "I could go with Spike."  
  
"That's not a good idea, Dawn," Willow said.  
  
"Yeah, you don't need to be picked up for shoplifting," Xander said.  
  
Spike glared at him. "I've got money," he said.  
  
"That'd be a first," Harris returned.  
  
"I'll go," Angel said, getting up. "I'll take Dawn to Buf--the house," he hesitated. "You do still have the house?"  
  
"Yeah, Tara and I are living there," Willow said, gesturing at the other woman. "Your stuff is still in your room, Dawn."  
  
"Thanks." She twisted her head. "Spike can ride with us."  
  
"I don't need to ride with anyone," Spike groused, not happy with the idea of spending more time with Angel. "I'll just pop over to the nearest Quickie Mart, get my smokes and check out the cemeteries on the way back."  
  
Angel fixed him with a look. "Somehow, the idea of you being out of my sight is not making me happy."  
  
Spike flashed him a two-fingered salute. "Don't care."  
  
"Just let him go, Angel," Willow said, brushing back her hair. "I'm not in the mood to listen to him complain."  
  
That hurt, Red turning on him, but at least she agreed. "Right. I'm off." Spike turned on his heel and walked out the door, letting it close behind him. He took a deep, unneeded breath and sauntered off. He wasn't good with the studying, anyway. He'd rather beat his answers out of someone. It was a hell of a lot more satisfying than reading.  
  
Dawn stared at the door, feeling a little let down that Spike would just go off and leave her like that. Someone said something involving her name and she shook her head slightly. "What?"  
  
"Do you still want to get clothes?" Angel asked.  
  
At least Angel was still around. He was a lot more patient than Spike, any day. She'd realized how it must've bothered him, to see Spike welcomed back and wished there'd been something she could do. "Yeah," she said, reaching out to take his hand in his, glancing around at the others to make sure they noticed. "Thanks for doing this, Angel."  
  
The corner of his mouth quirked up, as if he knew what she was saying to everyone in the room. "It's no problem, Dawn." They walked out of the store together.  
  
"What was that about?" Xander asked, slamming his book shut.  
  
"I can't believe you'd ask that, Xander," Cordelia said. "What's with your being all buddy-buddy with Spike?"  
  
"I'm not friends with him," Xander snapped back.  
  
"Couldn't have proved it by me. 'Spike! Good to see you!' And none of you said anything to Angel," Cordelia said, waving her hand around the room. "I don't know why he's bothering to help any of you."  
  
"Because of Buffy." Wesley's voice cut through whatever rejoinder Xander might have made. "He's here for the same reason as the rest of us, because he loves Buffy."  
  
Xander subsided, folding his arms and tucking into himself. "Still doesn't mean I trust him," he muttered, almost under his breath. Anya touched his shoulder.  
  
"M-maybe not, but we do need to work together," Tara said.  
  
"I agree. And Angel has had experiences in other dimensions. He is best suited to go after Buffy, once we locate her position." Wesley smiled faintly. "Well, Gunn, Cordelia and I were in Pylea as well."  
  
"I miss Pylea," Cordelia said wistfully.  
  
"Yeah, well, you were crowned queen. We were just rebels," Gunn said, cocking his feet up on the table in front of him.  
  
"Queen?" Anya leaned forward, interestedly. "Did you get many jewels?"  
  
"Guys," Willow said, her expression suddenly alarmed.  
  
"I had a really, really nice tiara," Cordelia said, smiling in remembrance  
  
"Guys?" Willow asked, her voice a little louder.  
  
"Was it worth a lot of money?" Anya asked eagerly.  
  
"Guys!" Willow slammed her book onto the table.  
  
"Careful with that," Lindsey said, reaching out to take the book from her. "That's a one-of-a-kind."  
  
"W-what is it, baby?" Tara asked, concerned.  
  
"Angel's going with Dawn to the house," Willow said, looking around the room.  
  
"Yeah, so? To get Dawny a change of clothes," Xander said.  
  
Willow gritted her teeth. "The Buffy-Bot is at the house."  
  
"Buffy-Bot?" Gunn asked.  
  
Comprehension dawned on Xander's face. "Oh man, I would pay money to see this."  
  
Willow jumped out of her chair, running for the telephone and punching in numbers.  
  
"Buffy-Bot?" Cordelia asked.  
  
"Spike had a robot made that looks just like Buffy," Anya said. "For sex."  
  
"For sex?" Cordelia made a face. "With Spike? Eww."  
  
"That was pretty much our reaction," Xander said. "Wonder what the Bot will think of Angel?"  
  
"I guess we'll find out," Willow said, slumping back against the countertop. "There's no answer at the house."  
  
* * * Spike let up a cigarette, taking a long drag on it. He popped it out of his mouth, smiling slightly as he watched the smoke curl up into the air, then blew rings into the night. Smoking was a pure delight. He couldn't even remember when he'd taken up smoking, only that he felt twitchy without a pack of smokes. He decided that Angelus had probably given him his first cigarette, or, more likely, he'd filched it from his elder. Back then, he'd wanted so badly to fit in with the others, to be a part of their pack. But Darla despised him and Angelus, well, he wasn't exactly pleased with the playmate Drusilla'd picked out for herself. It wasn't until after those bloody gypsies cursed Angelus with a soul that Spike realized he'd come into his own. That and killing off that Slayer during the Boxer Rebellion.  
  
Spike sauntered along the street. Soon, he'd have to make an appearance back with the Scoobs. Wouldn't do to just leave them alone with Angel and his pep squad. Someone might get ideas, like maybe he wasn't necessary to this little venture. And while he was still the Big Bad when it came to demons in this town, the humans might side with Angel rather than him. "Can't have that, can we?" Spike muttered to himself. Even the lawyer was willing to help Angel, probably just so the wanker wouldn't pop off his head. He really envied the great poof that. Even with a soul, he could still hurt people. The chip in Spike's head didn't allow for that kind of fun. It didn't make any distinctions between bad human and good human.  
  
He kicked at a rock, just so he could hear it clatter down the street. Nights in Sunnydale were always quiet, unless you were a vampire or part of the Scoobie team. Cars weren't the norm, they were the exception on the streets. Kids walked everywhere, not realizing what fates they tempted. He rarely saw any cops out at night, probably because they had the good sense to hide when the sun went down. The whole town seemed to be under some mass hallucination when it came to the evil it contained.  
  
But that wasn't important any more, at least not while he couldn't do anything about it. Killing demons was fun; well, at least he got to fight them. Their blood wasn't good to drink though, and he thought back to the last time he'd had human blood, fresh from the kill. Dru had tried to woo him back, offering to lead him back down that crimson path. He would've accepted, part of him still kicked himself for not going off with her to torment Angel, but he'd been in love with Buffy.  
  
Spike tossed aside the cigarette butt. He really hoped they'd be able to bring Buffy back. Things just weren't the same without her. Even before he'd fallen in love with the Slayer (and wasn't that a bloody cock-up, a vampire in love with a Slayer, the poofter excepted), he'd realized Buffy was special. And being in love with her, even though she didn't love him back and probably never would, just made it that much harder for her not to be in this world.  
  
He wondered briefly how the others dealt with their pain. He'd seen Dawn crying on Angel's shoulder and the other vampire's agony etched into his face though he'd yet to see Angel break down. He remembered Rupert's disbelief and horror and Harris, setting down Anya and going to Buffy's body, begging her to get up, they'd won, time to celebrate. He almost remembered Red's shrieks, drowning out his own tears. And Dawn, throwing herself onto what remained of her sister, screaming that she couldn't be dead, shouldn't be dead, get up, get up.  
  
Spike turned the box of matches in his jacket pocket, ignoring the trembling in his fingers. They were going to get the Slayer back. If the Scoobs couldn't come up with a way, if Rupert didn't have the right texts, if that lawyer didn't steal the right spells, he and Angel would raise her from the dead. There was no one who could take Buffy's place and that was the one thing that both vampires agreed upon.  
  
No one or no thing..  
  
"Oh shit." Spike took off for Revello Drive at a dead run, hoping the Bot was out on patrol.  
  
* * * "You don't mind if I take a shower, do you?" Dawn asked as she unlocked the front door.  
  
"No," Angel said. "Go ahead. I can wait."  
  
She smiled her thanks at him and went inside. Angel followed her, closing the door. Dawn glanced around, her fingers trailing over the stair railing. "I, I'm just gonna go upstairs," she said. "Um, make yourself at home."  
  
"Thanks." Angel stood in the entryway, his hands in his pocket as the girl ran up the stairs. He heard the faint sounds of drawers being rummaged through and doors opening and closing, and finally, the sound of rushing water. Sighing, Angel turned to survey the living room.  
  
Not much seemed to have changed since he'd last been here. There were a few more photos scattered around and the faint smell of a cat. An afghan, spangled with stars, draped over the back of one of the chairs. A blown glass statue of Diana and her hounds graced the mantelpiece, with fat candles flanking it. His gaze was drawn to the staircase and what lay above him. Hesitantly, he crossed the room, setting a foot on the first step.  
  
A part of him didn't want to go but he had to see her room, maybe for the last time, if this plan didn't work.  
  
It felt strange to be climbing the stairs. Angel marveled at the emptiness of the house, without Joyce, without Buffy. Even with Dawn here, it seemed the dwelling had lost its heart. The new touches only emphasized it for him. He went down the hall, pausing outside the closed door. Steeling himself, Angel turned the knob and pushed the door open.  
  
Buffy's scent still lingered on the air, but stale, like a remembrance of the girl who'd lived within these walls. He slowly walked inside, clenching his hands against the memories that threatened to overwhelm him. When was the last time he'd been in this room? When was the last time he'd climbed the tree outside the house, to have a chance to be with Buffy? He wondered if she'd missed that, his climbing up to see her. He prowled around the room, tallying up the things he remembered against the things he'd never seen before, wondering if there was any part of him left in here. The thought came to him that he was an intruder; that he had no right to think that way, or even be in this room. He'd made his break from Buffy, physically, mentally, even if emotionally, he could never really tear himself away. There was no place for him here anymore.  
  
Nodding curtly to himself, knowing that's the way it needed to be, Angel took a deep breath, inhaling her fading scent once more. He let the memories wash over him completely, until he felt like he was drowning in them, drowning in her one last time. His mind played tricks on him, lulling him with the sound of her footsteps coming up the stairs, her stride along the hall, her voice speaking..  
  
"What are you doing in my room?"  
  
Angel snapped his eyes open, whirling in shock.  
  
Buffy stood in the doorway, her head cocked to one side, a frown marring her face.  
  
"Buffy?" he asked, his voice cracking. This couldn't be, it couldn't be. He was dreaming or going insane. Buffy was not standing right in front of him, alive.  
  
She pursed her lips, the furrow on her brow deepening. "Do I know you?"  
  
Maybe, they'd already brought her back. Maybe, she didn't remember him, from whatever horrors she faced in the other dimension. He reached out for her, but faltered at the confused expression on her face. "Buffy, it's me.Angel."  
  
"Angel?" She brightened. "You're bloody stupid and your hair sticks straight up."  
  
He took in a deep breath at that, a choked laugh of surprise escaping him. "Wh-what?"  
  
She tilted her head the other way, still smiling. "You're bloody stupid and your hair sticks straight up. Oh. And you're a vampire, just like my Spike." Her face crumpled back into a pout. "You haven't seen my Spikey, have you? He's my dastardly love-puppy."  
  
"Your, your what?" Angel stared at her in disbelief.  
  
"Spike, silly." The vapid smile was back in place. "I love him."  
  
He reached out to grab her shoulders. She let him touch her, her bright eyes staring up at him, like pretty glass jewels. Angel squeezed her flesh, which didn't feel right. It was cool and now that he was closer, he could hear things happening below the surface that had nothing to do with a heartbeat and blood rushing and lungs pumping oxygen.  
  
She didn't smell like Buffy any more than she really felt like Buffy, though the duplication was so exact that it even fooled him. Angel let her go, slowly circling her, it. The machine stared placidly ahead, its mouth tilted up in a weird mockery of Buffy's smile. "What are you?" he asked.  
  
"I'm Buffy," it said patiently.  
  
"No, you're not," Angel said. "Buffy is.well, she's not here and you aren't her. You're a machine."  
  
"That's not nice," the machine said, pouting again. God, it even had some of her mannerisms.  
  
"Angel?" Dawn appeared in the doorway, smelling of honeysuckle shampoo. "What's going on-oh." She took a step back.  
  
"Dawn? Do you know what this.thing is?" Angel swept a hand at the machine.  
  
"Uh, Buffy-Bot," Dawn said, stammering just a little. "It's a robot, Spike had her, it, I mean, built, because Buffy didn't love him." Her eyes widened at the expression that must have crossed his face. "Angel, wait, he didn't mean anything by it!"  
  
"Stay here," Angel said, stepping past the thing that bore Buffy's face and the sister Buffy loved, striding down the hall and quickly moving down the stairs. As if his timing couldn't be more perfect, the front door swung open and Spike rushed through, panting.  
  
"Dawn?" he shouted, then saw Angel. "Oh, shit."  
  
Angel snarled, flinging himself the rest of the way down the stairs, crashing into the smaller vampire. They went down in a heap of thrashing limbs, halfway out the house. Spike grabbed the doorjamb, hauling himself away from Angel's grasping hands. He kicked the older vampire in the face, knocking Angel back. Angel rolled into a crouch, springing at Spike, managing to take him off the porch and onto the ground. Spike's head hit the sidewalk with a sickening crunch.  
  
"Bloody hell," he growled, grappling with Angel, trying to throw him off. Angel used his weight to hold the smaller vampire down, rearing back to hit him. He pounded his fist into Spike once, twice; then somehow, Spike threw him off, gaining the upper hand.  
  
Spike hit back, taking delight in smashing Angel's face. He cut his fist on a fang and laughed, reveling in the sensation of battle. He hadn't had enough to beat on lately and hitting Angel relieved a lot of his frustrations. The fact that the elder vampire was likely to kill him afterwards, well, that didn't mean he wouldn't have fun while it lasted.  
  
Angel grabbed Spike's shoulders, jerking him down. Their foreheads collided hard and Angel pushed Spike off of him. The blond rolled and caught himself, showing his fangs as Angel readied himself for the next pounce.  
  
"Stop it!" Dawn was suddenly there, flinging herself between them.  
  
"Move, little bit," Spike said through his split lip.  
  
"No," she said, holding a hand out to either of them. Her eyes rolled in fear but she stood her ground. "No! I'm not going to let this happen!"  
  
"Dawn, this doesn't concern you," Angel said, not taking his eyes off his prey, hiding behind the girl.  
  
She stomped her foot. "It does! Look, you're making a scene and-and Buffy would hate it! She wouldn't want you two fighting and I don't want you fighting, so you can just stop!"  
  
"Not that easy, niblet," Spike said. "I took over Angel's territory." He licked his lips, tasting the blood and smiling. "All of it."  
  
Angel snarled back, wanting to sweep the girl out of his way so he could finish pounding Spike into dust.  
  
"You're not a pair of cats, you're, well, you're adults. You have to work together, for my sake." Dawn looked from one to the other, her face screwed up. "For Buffy's sake." Her voice trembled as she said, "Please."  
  
"Get out of here, Spike," Angel growled.  
  
"Think I like it here, Peaches," Spike said mockingly.  
  
Dawn whirled on him. "Spike. Go!" She shoved at his shoulders. "Please go!"  
  
His mouth twitched as he looked up at her, her tearing eyes. His face softened, even through the vampire mien. "Dawn," he said.  
  
"For me, Spike," she said, her fingers tangling in his jacket collar. "Please."  
  
Spike's eyes narrowed as he looked beyond her to Angel, barely checked by the girl between them. "For you," he said, and pulled away, running off into the night.  
  
Dawn managed to grab Angel's shirt before he could chase after Spike. "No, Angel, stay with me, please stay here," Dawn cried.  
  
Angel wanted to tear free of her grip but she was a little girl, a child, someone who needed him more than he needed to smash Spike's laughing face in. Trembling with thwarted rage, he reined the demon in, his features smoothing back to human. "Dawn," he said, her name racked with pain.  
  
She buried her face into his chest, holding tightly to his shirt. Angel tore his gaze away from Spike's trail, carefully laying his hands on Dawn's shaking shoulders. She was saying something into his chest and he carefully pushed her away, ducking to her level. "What, Dawn?"  
  
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I forgot about her, the Buffy-Bot. I-I should've told you. Warned you. I'm so sorry, Angel."  
  
"It isn't your fault, Dawn," Angel said. He smoothed her hair off her face. "Come on, let's go inside and I'll make you some hot chocolate. You do still like hot chocolate, right?"  
  
She mustered a weak smile. "You're patronizing me."  
  
"Yeah, well, I'm sort of not sure how to react to all this, okay?" Angel tucked her under his arm and guided her back into the house. "It's not every day you meet a robot based off your ex-girlfriend."  
  
The Buffy-Bot smiled at them as they came inside. "You're Dawn," she said. She opened her arms and Dawn awkwardly went into them. "You're my baby sister. I love you."  
  
Dawn sighed shakily. "That's right. I'm your baby sister." She pulled free and the machine turned her attention to Angel.  
  
"Did you scare off my boyfriend, Spike?"  
  
"No, I did. I asked him to leave," Dawn said.  
  
"Oh." The machine looked downcast. "I miss him," she said, shuffling her feet.  
  
"Well," Dawn glanced at Angel, gnawing on her lower lip. "Um, I guess we're going to make hot chocolate. Do you want to come with us?"  
  
The Buffy-Bot brightened. "Sure! Can I do anything?"  
  
"Just come into the kitchen," Dawn said, taking the machine by the arm.  
  
Angel followed them both, shaking his head. Sometime, soon, he and Spike would have to settle this.  
  
But for now, it could wait. For Dawn's sake.  
  
And for Buffy's. 


	4. chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR Spike lay on his bed watching the telly distractedly. Nothing appealed to him, not even 'Passions'. It was just noise to help get him through the daylight's sometime infinite-feeling stretch. He didn't know what he'd do once night fell. How could he face the Scoobs and Angel's band from L.A.? There weren't words for the embarrassment roiling in him. The Scoobs knew about the Bot, of course, and that was bad enough. If he went to them now they'd see the bruises all over his face and know how he got them, worse, how he deserved them. He and Angel would still be fighting if not for Dawn. Most likely one of them would be staked by now. Probably him and he really didn't care.  
  
There were very few things in his life Spike regretted and all of them came from him not thinking far enough ahead, or at all. The Bot was certainly one of those big regrets. How could he have not seen that the Bot would have escaped his crypt eventually was beyond him. In hindsight it was obvious that sooner or later Buffy and the Scoobs would find out about the robot. Having the Bot made was a horrible mistake. He had learned that in the first night even before her escape. She was fine for a fantasy or two but it quickly got boring. And now he couldn't even look at the insipid thing. He forced Willow, well not a lot of force was needed, to remove all its sexual programming but somehow it remained imprinted on him. He'd grown to hate it but couldn't bring himself to destroy it. It was needed to keep up the subterfuge Buffy was alive and still in their lives.  
  
And maybe she was alive. He had to believe it. If they were wrong, he didn't know how any of them would survive the dashed hopes. Buffy's death was another of his mistakes he'd regret forever. He hadn't been fast enough, smart enough, strong enough to beat Doc and keep Dawn from harm. They all assured him he had done his best but his best hadn't even been close. In his dreams he saved Dawn and Buffy, every night, their faces haunting him. In his dreams he stopped Doc. Dawn never got cut and Buffy never died.  
  
Worse than any of his regrets was the one that he kept deeply hidden, trying to keep it even from himself. He truly regretted coming back to Sunnydale twice. If he had never found Sunnydale in the first place with Dru he wouldn't have lost her first to Angel then to that damned Chaos demon. The mere thought of her doing it with that slimy horned thing made him ill. Afterwards, why hadn't he gone anywhere else but Sunnydale? He could have gone home to England, explored Europe or run slumming through New York city but oh no, he had to be a wanker and head to Sunnydale for revenge.  
  
What he ended up with instead was a chip in his head and his heart captured by the Slayer. He didn't ask for either nor did he want them but there was nothing to be done for it. He lit a cigarette, shifting on the mattress listlessly. At least he should be able to sleep through the long daylight hours but ever since Buffy was gone that was a luxury that eluded him.  
  
The door to the crypt creaked open, splashing sunlight into the areas furthest from his bed. He glanced over figuring it was Dawn. She slinked to him, eyeing up his pale bare-chested form painted with deep, dark bruises.  
  
"Dawny, maybe you shouldn't be here." He got up and set his cigarette on the marble ledge so he could pull his shirt on. He winced as he did so.  
  
"I wanted to be sure you're okay."  
  
He wanted to say he was anything but; instead he shrugged. "I'll be fine. Angel and me.let's just say this isn't the first time we've fought." His lips twisted into something like a smile as he popped the cigarette back between them.  
  
"I forgot about the Bot. How could I forget? That was so dumb. I should never had made Angel take me home." Dawn paced around the crypt, half trying to hide her embarrassment from him, half to work off the anger.  
  
Spike crossed over to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Not your fault, little bit. Every last one of us forgot. I'm to blame if anyone is."  
  
She looked up at him. "I tried to explain to Angel about the Bot.but I think it came out all wrong."  
  
"Just leave it be, Dawn. It's something Angel and I have to work out."  
  
"But you two don't work things out. You fight and I won't have it. I need you both. Buffy needs you both. Once we use the books, once we have Buffy back if you two still need to kill each other, do it then." Dawn stamped her foot at him.  
  
Spike snorted. "Tell that to Angel, just like that. It'll work. Maybe you ought to run along now, Dawn. I'll see you tonight."  
  
She shrugged, hiding her face behind the curtain of hair. "I'm bored. I'm tired of hanging at the magic shop. Anya can drive you nuts."  
  
"Only if you have a brain, which means Harris is safe."  
  
"Spike, don't be mean."  
  
"Don't correct your elders, little bit," he shot back.  
  
"Elders? Ha! You're more like a teenager than half the kids in high school." She lifted her chin defiantly, challenging him to deny it.  
  
He stabbed the end of his cigarette at her. "You take that back."  
  
She beamed. "Never! Can't I just hang out here?"  
  
He wrinkled his nose. "This time."  
  
"Thanks, Spike."  
  
"Don't mention it and I mean that. I'm getting a rep for being a bloody babysitter. How am I supposed to live with that?" He gestured for her to have a seat on the couch then caught her arm. "Hang on. Listen."  
  
"I don't hear anything."  
  
Spike stared down at the covered opening to the bowels of Sunnydale as he pushed Dawn toward the crypt door. "Dawn, go, now. There's something down there."  
  
He crept closer not realizing Dawn wasn't exactly obeying him. Spike lifted the trapdoor then collapsed backward with a startled cry. He lay on the floor twitching as two women came out of the crypt's 'basement,' carrying cattle prods. Dawn shrieked.  
  
"Told you my boy would still be here," Dru cooed, running the body of her cattle prod along her cheek.  
  
"Did I doubt you? And what do we have here?" Darla was across the crypt and had a hold on Dawn before the girl could get out the door.  
  
"The Slayer's little sister. She's such a bad bad girl." Dru spun a lazy circle before turning her attention back to her fallen 'son.'  
  
"You leave her alone," Spike said, trying to gather his wits.  
  
Dru kicked him in the jaw, sending him sprawling again. "What is my boy doing with such a tasty little snack?"  
  
"I'm just glad he didn't eat her yet," Darla said.  
  
"Spike wouldn't do that!" Dawn cried.  
  
"Pity. My poor boy still isn't hunting," Dru said as Dawn tried to punch Darla.  
  
The vampire applied the cattle prod to Dawn who went unconscious with a painful cry. "Well, this was a better find that we could have hoped for, Dru. We can use the Slayer's brat sister."  
  
"Let her alone, you bint!" Spike launched himself at Dru, knocking her to the ground. He tried to get up to go after Darla but Dru held onto him.  
  
Spike looked into those beautiful blue eyes and did what he didn't think he could do again. He hurt her. He landed a few blows to Dru's face, listening to the cracking of metal somewhere behind him. He glanced up to see what Darla was doing but too late. Something burned into his back and deep into his body. Collapsing on top of Dru, Spike twisted enough to see Darla shoving the broken end of a metal candelabrum through his back, angling downwards through his insides so that it didn't come out his chest. There was no way for him to reach around and pull it free. Dru squirmed out from under him after licking his lips and neck.  
  
Spike tried to get up but Darla applied the prod to the metal buried in him. The pain went beyond anything he had ever felt as she toasted his viscera. He was only vaguely aware that the screams he heard bouncing around the crypt were his own before everything darkened.  
  
"I know my boy has to have fun toys around here somewhere," Dru said, poking around the crypt until she came up with heavy shackles hidden behind a tall armoire Spike had lugged into the crypt to hold his weaponry. She displayed them, giggling.  
  
"Do you know him or what?" Darla grinned and started dragging Spike over to the wall so they could bind him.  
  
Spike didn't know how long it took him to come around but when he did he found himself in irons. Dawn was trussed up on his bed with Darla and Dru watching TV.  
  
"There you are. We were beginning to think you'd never rejoin us," Darla said, getting up to saunter over to him.  
  
Spike tried to pull free but knew he wasn't getting free easily, especially with a few feet of metal sticking out of his back. "Let her go, Darla. Dawn has nothing to do with this."  
  
"She has everything to do with this," Darla said  
  
"She's a naughty girl who won't get any tea," Dru put in.  
  
"Hush, Dru. Wolfram and Hart know Angel stole those books from them with Lindsey's help. I would have thought he was smarter than that. Wolfram and Hart know why Angel had Lindsey take the books. They want them back and the way Dru and I see it, taking the Slayer's sister is a sure way to make Angel deal with us. He needs to bring those books to the mansion. I must see it after all Dru's told me about it. Do it tonight or we kill this yummy little thing.if she's lucky." Darla gestured at Dawn who swallowed hard.  
  
Dru licked Dawn's face. "I'm hungry now."  
  
Spike tried to soften his features and spoke gently, "Dru, baby, don't hurt her. Let me go and we'll work something out."  
  
"Can't do that. My poor Spike, still all blue inside, all hurting and sad. Should have come with me when I asked you too," Dru purred, sashaying over to him.  
  
"I'll go with you now, love. Just let Dawn go."  
  
Dru brushed her lips to his. "Spike tells me such sweet lies. Do you still love me?"  
  
He tried to touch her but couldn't move his hands enough. "Yes."  
  
"Lies like honey." She kissed him more deeply, rubbing her hands over sensitive parts of him.  
  
"Enough of that, Dru, unless you think the kid sister needs that kind of education." Darla tossed a look Dawn's way. "Though I'm sure we could teach her a thing or two."  
  
"Leave her alone, Darla," Spike said, spitting her name out like an obscenity. "If you let Dawn go, Dru, I'll get those books for you and I'll join you two."  
  
"You're the last thing we need," Darla said, jerking his head back to expose his throat. "Have a drink, Dru, if you're that hungry." Darla helped herself first then took a step back so Dru could have a sip. Licking her lips, Darla glanced over at Dawn who watched with huge horrified eyes. "You have no idea how good we taste to each other. Enough Dru. If we kill him, he won't be able to give Angel our message."  
  
Darla crossed back over to Dawn, dragging her to her feet. "I think you took a bit too much, Dru," she said seeing Spike's head loll.  
  
"My boy is strong. He'll be back around soon," Dru protested.  
  
"Good enough. Those shackles aren't so tight he can't slip free if he's willing to lose a little skin. Come on girl, don't make us knock you out again," Darla said forcing Dawn toward the underground.  
  
"Spike," she shrieked but he didn't move, dangling by his arms from the chains. Darla and Dru dragged her below and off into the labyrinth under the city.  
  
* * *  
  
Spike regained consciousness, regretting every second of it. Pain beyond anything he had experienced in recent times racked him. The last time he hurt this bad, Buffy had dropped an organ on him inside a burning church, leaving him paralyzed. He wasn't sure he was all that mobile at this point as he stumbled along toward the magic shop, its lights drawing him forward like a welcoming friend.  
  
He lost count of how many times he had fallen as he struggled to reach his companions in arms. Hotwiring a car was out of the question with the huge length of metal sticking out of his back and he had no leverage to pull it out. He fell again just a block from the shop, scraping his face even more. With bloody hands he forced himself back up. He had shredded his wrists pulling out of the shackles. He even had to gnaw away some of the flesh of his thumb in order to do it but he had gotten away. He had to warn the others about Dawn.  
  
That in mind, he forced himself the final steps into the magic shop. He tripped over the doorsill and went down again, the candelabra stand whacking into the door, shattering glass all over him. He heard several startled screams but couldn't really focus on any of them. Strong hands dragged him inside, Angel then. Spike lifted his head, trying to find the strength to talk, an odd burnt taste in his mouth distracting him.  
  
"Get this bloody thing out of me!"  
  
Angel grabbed the metal and pulled, feeling it grind against bone and get stuck. Spike screamed. Angel yanked harder and the candelabra slid free, spraying a trail of blood as it did. He tossed the metal aside and hunkered down by the fallen vampire. His large hands went to Spike's neck. "Vampires had at him."  
  
"Any other time I'd say that it was poetic justice but we need him," Xander said, frustrated and more than a little disgusted.  
  
"Spike, what happened?" Wesley asked, moving closer but staying well out of reach.  
  
"Dru and Darla. They have Dawn," Spike said, trying to sit up.  
  
"What?" Angel hauled Spike up and flung him into a chair.  
  
"They took her," Spike said, nearly flopping back onto the floor as he tried to steady himself. "I hurt so much."  
  
"How could you let them take her?" Willow asked, stomping up to him.  
  
"Let them? Do I look like I let anyone do anything, Red?" Spike growled.  
  
"I'll get the first aid kit. You tell them what happened," Wesley said.  
  
"Dawn came to see me. I thought I heard something coming up from below. I tried to get Dawn out of the crypt but Dru and Darla surprised me. They came up through the tunnels and hit me and Dawn with cattle prods. I fought with Dru and Darla impaled me. She put the prod against the metal.bloody hell. That hurt like a bitch."  
  
"This is very bad," Wesley said, coming back with the kit. Cordy helped Spike out of his bloody clothing, used to patching up Angel at this point.  
  
"Of course it's bad. They got Dawn," Willow snapped.  
  
Wesley gently prodded the hole in Spike's back. The flesh around the wound was blackened and bubbled. Spike moaned as the ex-Watcher assessed the damage. "What I meant, Willow, is that we need Spike to cross those dimensions after Buffy and we need him to get Dawn back but he's not going to be able to help. Darla effectively cooked him from the inside out. He'll heal but it's going to take time.more time than we have."  
  
"I can help.we'll get Dawny back," Spike protested.  
  
"I don't know how you even got back here. You probably should be dust between the electrocution and the draining," Wesley said.  
  
"Cordy, warm up some blood for Spike. He's going to need it," Angel said and she hustled off. "What do they want with Dawn, Spike? Did they tell you?"  
  
He nodded, regretting it. He touched his bruised, scraped face. "They want to trade her for the books Lindsey and Wesley stole from Wolfram and Hart."  
  
"They said my name?" Lindsey asked sharply. "They know? I'm screwed! Thanks a lot, Angel. I knew you were going to get me killed."  
  
"You're still alive Lindsey but not if you keep annoying me," Angel snarled. "Spike, where do they want this trade to go down?"  
  
"Our mansion tonight," Spike said, holding out a shaking hand seeing Cordy approach.  
  
Cordy put the mug of blood in his hand, waiting to make sure he had a good grip. "They really worked you over," she said.  
  
"They had some help," Spike canted his eyes up at Angel who looked thoroughly unapologetic.  
  
"You had that coming," Xander said and Spike didn't argue.  
  
"Spike, did they say I was to come alone?" Angel asked.  
  
Spike drained the mug and looked into it disappointed. "Could I have more?"  
  
"That's probably a good idea," Wesley said, waving Cordy back over. She went to get him a refill.  
  
Spike licked his swollen lips. "They didn't say came alone. They probably didn't trust you to keep that promise."  
  
"Or they have a trap waiting for us," Xander said.  
  
"Dru's nuts. She might come up with a devious plan given time. They didn't know Dawn would be in my crypt. They were coming to.maybe take me hostage, like you'd ransom me for those damn books. Dawn was a lucky find. Dru couldn't come up with too much of a plan on short notice. I'm not sure Darla's smart enough to. But then again, they don't have to have a great plan. They have Dawn's life in their hands. They have us over the bloody barrel."  
  
"But they're making a mistake," Angel said, his eyes lighting up as a plan dawned on him.  
  
"L-Looks like they have things under control to me," Tara said.  
  
"They've dismissed everyone but me and Spike as a threat to them. They must know the Slayer's gone or they would have wanted Buffy to do the trade. The rest of you are just fodder to them," Angel said.  
  
"They don't know about my and Willow's magic," Tara said, understanding where he was going.  
  
"Hey, that's true!" Willow's face screwed up. "Darla. That name sounds familiar."  
  
"She's the vampire who turned me. I killed her for Buffy, remember? Lindsey and his buddies brought her back, using one of the scrolls we brought with us," Angel replied, gesturing to Lindsey.  
  
"And we're trusting him to help us?" Xander asked.  
  
"He's a lawyer. Never trust him," Angel said.  
  
"I don't need this abuse. I should have told you to go play in the sun when you came to me. I helped and now I have Wolfram and Hart after me and all my allies do is rip me up," Lindsey snarled.  
  
"Lindsey, relax. We still need your help so we aren't likely to let Darla eat you because if Wolfram and Hart wants you dead surely they sent her to do it. Willow, you and Tara work out what you might need spell-wise. Wesley, Gunn, Xander and Anya, you already know how to kill vampires so get the weapons you need. We'll be ready for this," Angel said.  
  
"What do you want me to do?" Spike asked.  
  
"Nothing. You stay here. You're in no shape to do anything," Angel said.  
  
"I can help, at least with Dru. No one knows her better, not even you, Angel. I know what she wants. I can handle her," Spike argued, not telling his elder that the blood he drank had sickened him. He wondered if his stomach was toast.  
  
"You're weak. You'll be a liability," Wesley said.  
  
"Only if you try to help me. If I'm in trouble let me go. I don't matter. Dawn does," Spike said, trying to stand. Angel's help was needed. Spike clung to his grandsire's arm for a brief moment, steadying himself.  
  
"Try not to die," Angel said. "We may need you once we handle this and go across after Buffy."  
  
"Dru won't kill me. She still loves me. She'll just hurt me a little more." Spike found the strength to smile.  
  
"All right then. Let's do this," Angel said. 


	5. chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE  
  
"I think she's finally coming around."  
  
Buffy cracked open her eyes then squeeze them shut again as the light stabbed at them. Still, light was an improvement over the grayness of before. She listened, hearing at least three people moving around her. A floral scent hung in the air, heavy and sweet. There was an oddly comforting feel to it.  
  
When had she last felt comfortable? She couldn't remember but she knew she had good friends back home, wherever that was. She couldn't remember their names, or even her own for that matter. Faces stood as cruel blank spots in her mind. She could remember broad shoulders and cool skin. The man those shoulders belonged to made her feel wanted and loved. A girl, shiny as sun on the water, that was her best friend. She could remember that much. Another one was so much laughter and silliness, why couldn't she remember his face? The smell of dust, like a library, and a soft, well-worn feel, those were the calling cards of the man who meant more than her father. She had a sister, too, something about sunrise but that made no sense to her.  
  
She shivered, causing pain to ripple through her body then ran a hand over her stomach. She was cold but worse, something was missing. She was naked. She peeled her eyes open slowly, getting used to the light. The room, small and cramped, felt suffocating and cloying with perfume. A large wooden tub filled one wall. She was across from it, lying on a thin mattress.  
  
Her three companions were not like her. They were short and twiggy with grayish skin mottled with green undertones. All three appeared to be female with uniform hair, mouse brown, no bangs, straight locks hanging to their shoulders blades. Yellow eyes gleamed out from their sallow faces.  
  
"Don't give her quite so much this time," the oldest-looking of the three females said.  
  
"Better too sleepy than too bucky," the youngest said, filling a syringe with a noxious chartreuse syrup. She came over to Buffy and put the tip of it into her mouth.  
  
Buffy tried to fight but her limbs felt like they weighed more than her whole body. The syrup flowed down her throat, sickly sweet and numbing. The room spun. She knew what they were doing to her but couldn't rouse herself enough to care or try and stop them.  
  
The beings rubbed perfumed oils into her flesh despite her soft groans of pain. They kneaded and plucked her pale skin until it flushed pink where it wasn't covered in purple bruises. The creatures slathered her with something that hid the mottling from her injuries.  
  
Buffy allowed them to stand her up and drape her in lavender sheaths of gauzy material designed to highlight her body rather than hide it. All her visible hair was combed through with sparkly amethyst powder mixed in yet another perfumed oil then twisted into thin coils tied off with strings of pearls.  
  
Two of the women sat her back down, holding her upright as she bobbled from the drugs while the youngest of them rouged Buffy's lips and cheeks then did her eyes in yet another shade of purple. The middle-aged one took over, dripping strands of pearls over Buffy's bare neck and slid bracelets up her arms. She decorated Buffy's brow with violet gems rosined on one side, arranged in a starburst pattern. The women stepped back purring and murmuring in approval.  
  
"Absolutely lovely work, Ingab," the eldest said.  
  
"She'll fetch a handsome price on the handmaiden market," the middle-aged Ingab said.  
  
Handmaiden? That didn't sound good. Buffy felt the stirring of fear deep inside her. Why was she being prepared as a handmaiden? Didn't she already belong to someone? She thought she did. She remembered men fighting over her.and wasn't there one who pined for her all the while knowing she didn't want him? Who could want to buy her? Where were her friends? She could remember saving them time and again even if she couldn't recall their faces or her own name. Surely they would repay the favor. Where were they?  
  
The youngest of the creatures took her hand and the others helped her to stand. The one holding her hand guided her along. "Come along now, dear. It's time to show the men your beautiful face."  
  
Buffy followed meekly along. Market, was that what they had said? There was another word with that one but it had fled her mind already, the drugs robbing her of reason. Maybe her friends didn't know where she was any more than she did. Maybe they would arrive too late. The creature took her out into the bright light of day, which burned away the remains of her hope.  
  
* * * Dawn shivered. The ropes that held her arms behind her back cut into her wrists. A gag bound her mouth. If she closed her eyes, she could hear Glory's voice taunting her, could see the portal opening and Buffy running towards it. She couldn't close her eyes. Open, she saw two vampires, a delicate, pretty blonde and a lovely, narrow brunette. Darla and Drusilla. She'd heard of Drusilla before but Darla was a new name to her. A strange name, though Spike knew them both.  
  
Drusilla prowled over, giggling to herself. "Pretty thing," she said, reaching out to stroke Dawn's hair. Dawn rolled her eyes at the vampire, trying to keep her body still. "All glowy, like the stars. I like the stars." She dropped her hand away, letting her eyes shut. "They hum to me." She swayed from side to side, reminding Dawn of a cobra.  
  
"Quiet, Dru," Darla said sharply.  
  
"But Grandmummy, she's brimming with light," Drusilla said, opening her pale eyes and looking at the blonde. "Can't you see?" She made as if to stroke Dawn's hair again but didn't quite touch it. "She shines."  
  
"Probably the Slayer's blood," Darla snapped. "Come here, Dru. Leave the girl alone."  
  
Drusilla left off, prancing back to Darla. "When will Daddy be here?"  
  
"Whenever your little toy manages to reach him to tell him to come, I suppose," Darla said, sighing.  
  
"I've missed my Daddy," Drusilla said sadly. "He never calls any more." She tilted her head towards Dawn. "Soon, that will change."  
  
"Yes, the change will be good." Darla was rubbing her stomach absently, though a frown scarred her forehead.  
  
"Will Angel come with us?" Drusilla asked hopefully. "Do you think we can get him to eat the little star, there, and he'll come back with us?"  
  
"I don't know, Dru. All I care about is getting those books. If he can't reach the Slayer, then it will hurt him. And it's his turn to be hurt."  
  
Drusilla smiled back at Darla. "Ooo, Angelus hurt. I like that."  
  
Dawn winced, turning her gaze from the pair. She'd already been in a worse situation than being held hostage by a pair of vampires, one of them so crazy that Glory would have loved her. She tugged at the ropes binding her arms, hoping her friends wouldn't trade the books for her. They had to get Buffy back. She wasn't important, didn't anyone see that? Buffy was. Buffy took her place when she should have died and that was the important thing. That was the wrong thing. Buffy should have lived. She wasn't even real.  
  
Lowering her head, Dawn stared at her legs, realizing absently that the spots appearing on her thighs were from her tears.  
  
* * * "All right. There are two doors on the ground floor," Angel said. "I'll come in through the garden with the books. Willow, you, Wesley and Tara follow me. Gunn, you, Anya and Xander come in through the other door. The plan is to get Dawn and get out."  
  
"What about me?" Cordelia asked.  
  
"Watch Lindsey."  
  
Lindsey scowled. Cordy folded her arms and made a face at him. "If you try to run, I'll rip off your leg and beat you with it."  
  
"Lucky me, spending time with you," Lindsey said.  
  
"Better me than Darla," Cordelia said.  
  
"I don't know about that. At least I know her bite's worse than her bark."  
  
"Enough," Angel said firmly. "If you want to argue, wait until we've rescued Dawn." He glanced at Spike. "Are you up to this?"  
  
Spike snorted. "I'm up for anything," he said.  
  
Angel thought about calling him on it but the younger vampire believed he'd be able to control Dru. If he could, all the better. Angel doubted Spike would be able to stake Dru, so that left it up to him. He couldn't leave Darla and Dru to attack his friends while he was in the other dimension. "All right. Let's go." He picked up a satchel of books, weighing them in his hand. Leading the way out, Angel watched as everyone piled into the three cars. He, Cordy, Lindsey and Spike went in the GTX, the others divvied up in the two remaining vehicles.  
  
It was a short drive to the mansion, where once he and Buffy would take their time making that walk. He forced those memories aside. He needed to be settled in the now, not the past. Parking the car a block down, Angel swung out of it. He half-carried, half-hauled Spike out after him. "You know what to do."  
  
"Yep," Cordelia said, sliding into the driver's seat. "Be careful."  
  
"Thanks, Chase. I didn't know you cared," Spike said.  
  
Her lip curled. "You can get eaten if it brings Dawn out alive," she said.  
  
"Be careful with her, cowboy," Spike said to Lindsey as he motioned at Cordelia. "She'll have your liver for breakfast."  
  
"Come on," Angel said impatiently, turning Spike towards the imposing building in front of them. Spike managed to walk the distance, falling in behind Angel and forcing himself to pace normally. Angel appreciated that. He'd hate to have to carry Spike out, too, though he knew he would if push came to shove. Right now he needed Spike's strength. Once they found Buffy, it would be another matter entirely.  
  
They entered the garden; Angel glancing over his shoulder to make sure Spike was still there. The younger vampire gave him a shaky thumb's up. Angel nodded once and pushed aside the curtain, stepping inside.  
  
Darla was waiting, a bright smile on her face. He couldn't see Dawn though her frightened scent filled the air. "Hello, Darla," he said, wondering where Dru might be.  
  
"Hello, lover. How happy I am to see you," Darla said. She glided closer. "I understand you've taken something from Wolfram and Hart." She wagged a finger at him. "So naughty of you." Cocking her head to one side in a fetching manner, Darla said, "You knew they'd want those books back."  
  
"I didn't think they'd actually need them, Darla," Angel said. "I was told that room hadn't been touched in years." He smiled slightly. "But it's kind of funny that they're using you as their dog, to hound these books out of me." He lifted the satchel, rattling the texts inside it.  
  
Darla stiffened. "I'm here because I wanted to help them."  
  
Angel let his smile broaden. "Don't lie to me, Darla. I know you could really care less about Wolfram and Hart. You don't owe them anything."  
  
"They brought me back," she said, shaking her mane. "They wanted to give me my Angelus back, too, but you're too stubborn." She drew nearer, tilting her body into his chest. "Aren't you?"  
  
"Darla. Tell me where the girl is, I'll give you the books and the trade will be done."  
  
"Ah, ah, ah," she said playfully, gliding out of his reach. "The books first, then the girl. And be quick. Dru was feeling.hungry."  
  
Angel clenched his jaw. "I'll give you the books when I get to see the girl, unharmed," he said.  
  
Darla pouted. "You never want to play any more, Angelus," she said. "Dru's right. You aren't any fun, since you got that soul." She pirouetted close again. "But we can take care of that pesky thing. All you need to do is eat that girl. And then you can come home. I know how much you want to come home."  
  
"Guess again, Darla," Angel snarled.  
  
She flicked her fingers at him. "Then I guess we'll have to do this the hard way." Shrugging her slender shoulders, she said, "Dru? Bring the brat."  
  
Drusilla appeared from what had been his bedroom, hauling Dawn along with her. Her smiled broadened at the sight of him. "Hullo, Daddy," she said, twisting Dawn around in front of her. "Come to play?"  
  
"He just wants the girl, Dru," Darla said, sounding bored.  
  
The brunette pouted. "But I miss my Daddy," she said. She stroked Dawn's hair out of the way and traced her long fingernails up the girl's neck. Dawn jerked at the touch and Dru licked her lips. "She's sweet, my Angel. So sweet."  
  
"Slayer's kin," Darla purred, easing closer to Dawn. She flashed her teeth at Angel. "Slayer's blood. How yummy. But you'd know, wouldn't you?"  
  
"Let her go," Angel said.  
  
Darla leaned close to Dawn's ear. "Did you know, sweetling, that your sister's boyfriend, my lover, Angelus, nearly drained your sister dry?" She pressed her cheek against Dawn's. "I understand your sister liked it."  
  
Dawn twitched away, begging Angel with her eyes to end this torment. "Here are the books," he said, tossing the satchel so it slid across the floor at Darla's feet. "Set Dawn free."  
  
"All right, the chit can go," Darla said, definitely bored. She wrested Dawn from Drusilla's grip, shoving Dawn at Angel. He leaped forward to catch her before she could fall, knowing he left himself open for attack. He glared up at the two women, smiling down at him. "I hope this hurts, Angelus," Darla said softly. "Hurts like you rejecting me." She grabbed the satchel. "Your cheerleader's gone for good this time."  
  
"No," Dawn cried from behind the gag.  
  
Angel stood her up, tucking her under his arm to keep her steady. "It's all right, Dawn. They aren't going anywhere."  
  
"Is that what you think?" Darla glanced at Dru out of the corner of her eye. "Drusilla?"  
  
Drusilla clapped sharply and vampires seemed to ooze out of every shadow. Slipping her hand into Darla's, she waggled the fingers of her free hand at Angel. "Bye bye, Daddy," she said, blowing him a kiss. Darla giggled charmingly and turned, tugging Dru after.  
  
Angel ripped the bindings from Dawn's arms and legs. She pulled at the gag. "We've got to get those books!" she cried.  
  
Angel grabbed her before she got far. "Stay with me," he snapped, taking hold of her wrist. He twisted his other hand, shooting down the stake he had secreted in his sleeve. Four vampires approached, hissing, their teeth bared. Angel snarled back, hoping his friends were in place.  
  
"I want to watch," Drusilla said, glancing over her shoulder as Darla led her outside.  
  
"We don't have time, Dru," Darla said, irritated. She only wanted to be away from Sunnydale. Too many bad memories. The only good thing was the fact that Angel wouldn't be able to rescue the Slayer.  
  
"Maybe you should make time," a strange voice said, pulling the pair of vampires up short. Darla stared, wide-eyed, at the pair of crossbows pointed at her and the young black man, threatening Dru with an axe.  
  
"Oh," Dru said smiling, "party favors."  
  
* * * Spike staggered into the great hall. "Bloody hell," he muttered, wishing he was up to full strength. At least eight vampires surrounded Angel and Dawn, though possibly more lurked within the room.  
  
Angel whirled suddenly, grabbing the shirt of one of the demons behind him and throwing him into two others. He pushed Dawn back. "Get into the fireplace," he said, firming up his stance, another stake appearing in his free hand as Dawn complied.  
  
"Angelus," one of the vampires hissed. "What a prize, to be able to kill the vampire with a soul." She was curvy and almost as tall as Angel, with spiky black hair and a dog collar around her neck. "We'll drink you dry then turn the Slayer's sister. She'll run with us 'til the end of time."  
  
"Sounds like you're trying to psych yourself up for the battle," Angel said. "Let me help." He moved, a sudden, frightening thing, like a flicker of a shadow on a wall and one of the vampires crumbled into dust.  
  
"Spike, what's going on?" Willow appeared next to him, her face worried. She clutched his arm when she saw. "Help him!"  
  
"I've got a gut full of burn," Spike snapped. "You're the wicked witch. You help him. I'll get Dawn." He tugged away and forced himself across the room, grabbing one of the vampires by the shoulders and staking him. Two down, six to go. "Little bit! I'm coming!"  
  
"Spike?" Dawn peered out from behind Angel's reassuring bulk. "Spike, get the books! I'm not important!"  
  
"The hell you say," Spike growled, facing another vampire. The stranger smiled, running his tongue over his teeth. "Oh, put those away," Spike said, smashing his fist into the vampire's nose. When he staggered back, Spike thrust the stake home.  
  
Two vampires jumped Angel, catching his arms. The tall woman sauntered close, all but purring as she leaned close to his neck. "You smell delicious," she said. Angel head butted her and when she staggered back, used his captors' grips to keep him upright as he kicked straight out, knocking her into one of Spike's opponents. They both went down in a heap. Spike scooped Dawn out of the fireplace, hustling her across the floor.  
  
A crossbow bolt tore through the chest of the vampire holding Angel's right arm. "Thanks, Wes," Angel said as he punched the other vampire in the face, cutting his knuckles on the fangs. It was an awkward move and he didn't really have any power behind it but it was enough to loosen the second vampire's grip. Angel pulled free, grabbing the vampire by the head and twisting. Dust rained down as he ran to Spike and Dawn, looping an arm around Spike to haul him out of there.  
  
Three vampires charged them and Angel made ready to attack but the trio was brushed aside, slamming back into the walls. "Red," Spike gasped.  
  
"Handy, having her on our side," Angel muttered.  
  
"Angel!" Dawn shrieked and he transferred Spike's weight to her, stepping in front of them both. The vampire was huge, one of the largest Angel had ever seen. He wondered where he had been hiding, since his bulk almost rendered him impossible to disappear.  
  
"Angelus," he sighed, a smile curling his lips away from his teeth. "I've been waiting some time for this."  
  
"Sorry, I don't have time for it today," Angel said. "Maybe I could pencil you in next week."  
  
"Next week's good for me," Spike coughed.  
  
"The Scourge of Europe and William the Bloody. My death is complete. I shall dance on your bones, my friends," the behemoth said. "And next week isn't good for me."  
  
Angel shrugged. "Then let the girl go. She's not a part of this."  
  
"The Slayer's sister?" The huge vampire looked Dawn over. "Skinny little thing. Not even enough blood for an appetizer." He gestured grandly. "She can go."  
  
"Spike," Dawn whispered, tightening her grip on his jacket.  
  
"S'okay, little bit," Spike said, gently untangling her fingers. "Red'll get you outta here. Me an' Angel, we'll dust this bloke and meet you outside."  
  
"That's right, you two are pets of the Slayer. What a downfall," the behemoth said, shaking his head. "Protecting humans when you should be preying on them." He pointed at Angel. "You, with the soul, I almost understand. It's wrong that one of the great predators should fall that way but," he shrugged, much like Angel had, "leaves more for me." With that, he rushed forward, surprisingly agile for something that huge.  
  
Spike shoved Dawn towards the two witches and Wesley, who was coolly fitting a bolt into his crossbow. "Get her outta here," he shouted, flinging himself onto the back of the behemoth. He was flung aside like a torn shirt. Angel leaped from the path of the vampire, crashing right into the curvy demon who'd been drooling on him earlier.  
  
"You've come back to me," she said, wrapping her arms around him tightly. Her teeth ripped at his neck, cutting through his flesh.  
  
"My prey," the behemoth shouted, hauling Angel out of her grip. An arrow appeared in through his shoulder and he stared down at the bolt, uncomprehending. Angel grabbed the arrow point and yanked. The behemoth screamed in agony as Angel pulled the bolt from his shoulder, twisting it around to shove it right back into the vampire's heart.  
  
The behemoth looked from the bolt to Angel. "Oh, shi-" He exploded, his dust littering the floor at Angel's feet.  
  
"Mine," the curvy vampire shouted, leaping at him. Something shoved her back again, more of Willow's magic. Angel plucked the bolt from the floor and threw it, piercing the vampire's chest. She burst into dust with a wail. A third crossbow bolt took out one of two vampires menacing Spike and Angel ran to help him. Spike thrust off his opponent, pulling a stake from his pocket and neatly dispatching the other vampire.  
  
"That's that," Spike said, dusting his hands.  
  
"There're those three there," Angel said, indicating the three remaining vampires, huddled in a defensive knot in the corner of the room.  
  
"Psht. Newbies." Spike bared his teeth at them. "Get out of here, out of Sunnydale if you wanna live."  
  
One snarled feebly.  
  
"You're not just letting them go," Wesley said. "Someone will have to hunt them later on."  
  
"Yeah, and I don't want that someone to be us," Willow said, keeping an arm around Dawn's shoulders.  
  
"You kill 'em, then," Spike said, stumbling to the fireplace and sinking onto the ledge in front of it. He wanted a smoke, a beer and a few pints of blood, as well as a long rest. He'd been through enough tonight.  
  
"Incendi," Willow said, pointing at one of the vampires. A fireball seemed to launch from her fingertip, igniting the vampire. The fire spread to the other two, who shrieked in surprise. Angel leaped back, half-shading his eyes with his forearm, turning away as the trio burned.  
  
"Wow," Dawn said shakily.  
  
"Y-yeah," Tara agreed, glancing at her girlfriend, a frown knitting her forehead.  
  
"It's just a little spell I looked up," Willow said, smiling in satisfaction.  
  
"Where's Darla?" Angel asked, glancing around.  
  
"And the books. We need the books," Dawn said, grasping Willow's arm tightly.  
  
"We'll find them, Dawn." Willow met Angel and Spike's eyes firmly.  
  
Angel nodded once, heading for the other entrance to the mansion, the others falling in behind him. Spike went the other way through the gardens. He didn't see Angel, Wesley, Willow, Dawn and Tara grinding to a halt as more vampires spilled into the mansion through the front.  
  
"Just what we didn't need, reinforcements," Angel groaned then leapt into the fray.  
  
* * * "I know you," Dru said, peering at the dark-haired boy, holding a crossbow. "I loved you once."  
  
"Is this a Sunnydale thing?" the black man next to him asked.  
  
The boy shifted his shoulders as if to rid himself of something noxious. "It was a spell."  
  
"Magic," Dru sighed. "I like magic." She showed her teeth, her eyes glowing golden.  
  
The black man raised a crossbow and pointed it at her. "Finally," he said, "I get to actually dust a vampire again."  
  
"Handsome, handsome man," Dru purred. "I can see my future in your eyes."  
  
"And it's going to be a short one." Gunn pulled the trigger to his crossbow but Darla moved at the same time. She yanked Dru off target and the bolt creased the insane vampire's arm.  
  
Dru wiped at her blood. She raised her fingers, letting blood drip into her mouth. "Naughty boy."  
  
"Don't play with him," Darla said, swinging the satchel of books. She hit Xander so hard the strap broke and he collapsed unconscious. Blood haloed his head from the gash in his scalp.  
  
"Xander!" Anya shouted, leaping for her boyfriend. "If you've hurt him, I swear."  
  
"Swear what?" Darla laughed. She whirled the satchel and knocked Anya down. Anya tried to regain her feet but the blow made her too dizzy.  
  
Gunn struggled to load up another bolt. Dru grabbed the bow and tore it from his grasp. Gunn stabbed at her with the bolt but Dru caught his hand. She gestured at her eyes with two perfectly manicured fingers. "Look here, boy."  
  
Gunn tried to look anywhere but in her blue eyes but failed. Caught in that hypnotic gaze, Gunn's features slackened and he swayed on his feet. Dru drew her fingers back ready to slit his throat with her painted claws.  
  
"Dru!"  
  
Hearing the familiar voice Dru turned and gave Spike a beatific smile. She slapped Gunn away and he went to the ground bonelessly. "My sweet boy has come back to me." Drusilla sighed, then withdrew, her mouth curling. "You're not my Spike any more," she said. "You smell," her face twisted, "like them. Like the Slayer. All human."  
  
"Sorry, pet," Spike said, "but you can't expect me to smell all dead when you left me for a Chaos demon. Whatever happened to him?"  
  
Head drooping, Drusilla mumbled, "He wasn't any fun. Didn't like chains or whips at all."  
  
"Don't be an idiot, Dru. He's here to stop you, not help. Quit talking to him," Darla snarled, hoisting the books up by the broken satchel strap.  
  
Spike drew out a crossbow from the folds of his duster, an apologetic look on his face. "Sorry, baby. I really am. I don't want to hurt you."  
  
Darla laughed. "Hurt us? You're barely able to stand."  
  
"Maybe so but he's not alone."  
  
Both female vampires half-turned to see Lindsey standing behind them, Cordy at his side. Her crossbow wavered a bit as she was torn between holding the vampires at bay and going to her fallen friends' sides.  
  
Darla cocked an eyebrow at the lawyer. "What are you doing here, Lindsey? You have nothing to do with these white hats."  
  
"Tonight I do," he shot back, giving her an uneasy look.  
  
"Why would you care?" she asked.  
  
Lindsey licked his lips. He didn't have a good answer. "Why are you doing this, Darla?" You owe Wolfram and Hart nothing. They put you through hell just to get at Angel. You're nothing to them, a mere tool."  
  
"I don't give a damn about Wolfram and Hart," Darla spat. "This is about Angel."  
  
"Why? He did his best to help you. You turned on him. You turned on me. I loved you." A haunted look flickered in Lindsey's eyes.  
  
She curled her lip at him. "Lust. That's what you felt for me."  
  
"Whatever. We're not going to argue with you. Just give us the books and we'll let you out of here," Lindsey said, leveling his crossbow at Darla's chest.  
  
"Hey, wait!" Cordy chirped.  
  
"The shark is right. All we want is the books," Spike said then glared at Cordelia when she opened her mouth to protest again.  
  
"Listen to reason, Darla. You won't get past the three of us," Lindsey said.  
  
She smiled, cocking her head to one side. "I like our chances."  
  
"Even if all three of us miss killing you, Angel and the witches-two will have finished those wankers inside. You and I both know they aren't up to Angel's standards," Spike said coughing, feeling something tearing inside him. He only hoped that he could stay on his feet long enough for the bluff to work.  
  
"Grandmummy, I think we should go. The stars are telling me we'll soon be dust riding on the wind." Dru's heart-shaped face took on a decidedly worried look.  
  
"You know enough to listen to Dru's visions, Darla," Spike said.  
  
Darla frowned. "Dru and me for the books?"  
  
"Better hurry. Angel's not likely to be as generous as us. I still care about Dru. Maybe he's still half in love with you." Spike jerked a thumb in Lindsey's direction. "We'll let you go even though we know we shouldn't."  
  
"Damn straight you shouldn't," Cordy said, not believing what she was hearing yet haunted by the memory of how she hadn't been able to kill Harmony.  
  
Darla let the bag fall. She took Dru's hand and they ran.  
  
"We shouldn't have done that," Cordy fretted.  
  
"Just check on your mates, Chase," Spike said then coughed some more. The fit took him to his knees. The coughing grew worse as Angel, Willow and Wesley raced outside. Tara followed helping a shaky Dawn.  
  
"We got the books," Lindsey called.  
  
"How?" Angel asked, heading to Gunn's side.  
  
"Xander!" Willow yelped, rushing to her friend. Anya staggered up, crawling over to join the redheaded witch.  
  
"We bargained the books in return for Darla and Dru's freedom," Lindsey said.  
  
"You what? You had no right," Angel said.  
  
"What's wrong with Gunn?" Cordy asked. "He doesn't look hurt."  
  
Spike tried to stutter out Dru's name but just ended up coughing and gagging until he coughed up a mass of black tissue streaked with blood. He collapsed to his side, panting.  
  
"Ewww, gross," Cordy cried.  
  
"Think..that.was fried lung," he gasped. "Dru.hypnotized him."  
  
"He'll be all right then," Angel said.  
  
"I think Xander needs a hospital. He's got a nasty cut on his head," Willow said, fighting with Anya's protective hands to get a good look at the wound.  
  
Angel nodded and scooped him up. "I can't believe you let them get away."  
  
"I didn't like our chances of beating them, not with two men down and Spike barely standing. It was safer to let them go in exchange for the books," Lindsey said defensively. "You can always hunt them down later."  
  
"True. Cordy, go with Lindsey. Make sure those books are safe. Take Gunn, Spike, Tara and Dawn with you. Willow, Anya and I will get Xander to the hospital," Angel said.  
  
* * *  
  
Angel looked around the living room, feeling like an intruder now that neither Buffy nor Joyce was in the house. He wasn't ready for the Summers' residence to belong mostly to Willow and Tara. Anya had taken Xander home from the hospital. He had a concussion but he'd be all right. Dawn was upstairs asleep at last. He didn't know yet where he, Spike, Gunn, Wesley, Cordy and Lindsey would crash but they needed to and they needed to do it soon.  
  
"At least we got the b-books," Tara said, her eyes ringed with dark circles of exhaustion.  
  
"Giles will be here tomorrow to help," Willow said, forcing perkiness.  
  
"How can I wait that long?" Angel said, fingering the soft leather of one of the texts.  
  
"Unlike you, we're only human and we need rest," Gunn said.  
  
"We know you want her back. We all do but we're running on empty," Cordy said, running a hand through her hair. She grimaced, feeling the sweat and dirt there.  
  
"We can't cross dimensions now, Angel. We need rest even if we knew what spell to use. We can pick up our research in a few hours after we get some sleep. It'll do Buffy no good if we're too exhausted to cast the spell correctly. Who knows what might result if we tried now," Wesley said.  
  
"The toff has a point," Spike said.  
  
Angel looked over at him in shock. He had thought the younger vampire was unconscious as motionless as he was. He never associated stillness with Spike. The blond vampire always seemed to be in motion even when he was sitting still. Spike fidgeted or at least gave that impression even when he wasn't. "I know. Cordy, maybe you can stay here.in Buffy's room." That was all but dragged out of Angel.  
  
"Oh, of course. I should have offered," Willow said, looking sheepish.  
  
"Thanks. Maybe Wesley should stay on the couch here and Gunn could crash on Xander's," Cordy said.  
  
"I'll give Anya a call and ask," Willow said.  
  
"I'm not crashing anywhere. There has to be a hotel somewhere. Don't worry, Angel. I'm not running out on you know. At this point, another dimension might be the only place I'm safe from Wolfram and Hart," Lindsey said cynically.  
  
"Thanks. The mansion will do for Spike and I," Angel said.  
  
"We'd better get there soon, Peaches. I can smell the sunrise," Spike said.  
  
Angel nodded. "I'll keep the books with me, Willow."  
  
"I don't think that's wise. The vampires can enter the mansion, Angel. They cannot enter here and even if they did, Willow and Tara's magic will help safeguard them," Wesley said.  
  
Angel scowled. He didn't want to let go of the books now that he had them back but he knew the ex-Watcher had a point. "All right. Come on, Spike. We'll meet up with you at the magic shop tomorrow, then."  
  
"We'll get her back, Angel," Willow said, conviction in her eyes.  
  
"I know."  
  
Angel hauled Spike up when the injured vampire struggled and got nowhere. He all but carried Spike into the car then into the mansion making sure he was safely out of the sun. The mansion smelled of being shut up too long, of fresh sweat and dust. He didn't think he could sleep knowing that he was so close to finding a way to rescue Buffy but as soon as he stretched out, his body gave in to the demands for rest. Rescue would have to wait a few hours. 


End file.
